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Monday January 8, 1965 - Maximus Boltagon's NYC Penthouse & Workshop
There had been a delivery on Saturday that had been waiting, which made it more curious on Monday when the doorman stopped Max at the door earlier that morning, "Sir, we have a large shipment that has been waiting for you to receive it. May we send it up?" Which was curious as Maximus hasn't asked for anything. Well that is unless Triton followed through on the request to find something to secure Maximus' sovereignty over the Inhumans of New York, though that was highly unlikely. And still why would it be in - he did say 'large parcel' correct?
Maximus tilts his head and blinks. "And it has..not moved…since Saturday? Nor…made any sounds?" There's a pause while the doorman stares at him. "Yes, send it up. Jiggle it some…in the elevator on a lower floor." And then he heads up to his apartment and puts on his trench coat…as if the extra layer of fabric will protect him from the package. Still, he FEELS better in it. He waits for the delivery service to bring it up.
Earl, the doorman, one of a few that were in his mid-40's and likely inherited the job through fmaily and has been doing this for 22 years dependably offered, "Mmmm of its own volition? No, Sir. It has not shown any evidence of this, though we did have it relocated to our holding area as to not blocade the foyer, sir." At least the building had other wealthy eccentrics and very particular socialites with their tiny dogs who needed everything perfect yesterday. A small dip of Earl's head was agreement as he picked up the phone to ring building services in the back. "Right away. I'll have Stephen and Otis bring it up for you immediately, sir." There was apause as Earl's eyes drift to watch the light snow outside before falling to the desk. He could be heard relaying the strange request reliably and to 'give it a firm, but careful jostle on the loading dock to 'see the dust was off of it' before sending it on up.'
It was another six minutes for the retrieval of the parcel and the 'good shake' of 'getting the dust off'. It didn't explode and the large box was cleaned up before entering the apartment so that was a plus. Apparently food location, good district, and good help were all in mind when the building was chosen for purchase. The elevator clanked at teh top and 2 men, recognisable, in teh valet jackets and gloves asked the resident where he'd like the five foot by six foot by one foot box to be places. That was a very heavy, and very odd shaped box on the dolly. Maybe it was an art instillation of a giant pac of index cards? Who knew. There was only an address on the label on the side and no from or to.
Maximus surveyed the package first, a full circle around, then gestured to the kitchen counter. It would stick off the edges, but, if anywhere was going to explode in this place, he wanted it to be the one place in the apartment he didn't care about. "Very good, gentlemen. No further need for you." He does offer a tip, but its an assortment of bills left over, so they will have to fight over the 5 or agree to split it up later. Then, he tried lifting one side to get an idea of weight, then the other side to see if the object is symmetrical along its longest side. "Seeing as I have just made that announcement, it could be an attack, or a gift." He drums his fingers on it, thoughtfully.
By the heft on the box it was certainly pushing between 160-200# and seemed fairly solid. It did none of the following:
- Move
- Chirp
- Beep
- Tick
- Tock
- Ask for identification
- Change state
- Deflate
- Inflate
- Rotate
- Demand to see his leader
- Acknowledge Max as sovereign Lord of Earth
Maximus makes another circuit of the parcel, again, particularly because of the weight. Then he grabs a knife from the kitchen, and a tool from his bench surface. Then slowly, he tries to bore a hole, with the tool, which is basically a lot like a phillips screwdriver, in the box, so that he can see inside of it through the small hole
The contents at least where Maximus is trying to bore into seems to be dark and contain more cardboard used as filler packing material and solid wood? This was revealing nothing other than whatever was in the box was created and designed not to yield or give way one bit! It was clearly in defiance of giving away information to Max. Well played shipper, well played.
Maximus can spend another 30 minutes at least, poking around, growing in both excitement and piqued frustration as the shipper defies his investigation! Then, finally, he takes the knife to what he'd think of as the 'bottom', and slices it open, then stands back! If nothing happens, he tries to peel away the cardboard and reveal whatever the heavy thing is, at least in part.
There seemed to be much in the way behind the packing of more wood, sturdy and finished in a polished oak finish. Huh. it seemed pre-drilled as if to serve a purpose. To what end was unknown. When carefully poked at the long beam came loose, unattached of anything else, but heavy in its own right. Was this 200# of wood? Who sent this? What is it's intent? It's purpose? Is this a thinly veiled mesage? Code?
Maximus pulls on the wood and slides it entirely out. Then looks to see if there is anything else in there!
Lots! Not the least of which is another beam, sever smaller pieces of wood, wrapped and a large table surface. All fo this carefully unwrapped incase somehting is cleverly hidden. That's how they get you: lure you into a false sense of security and BAM! No more enterprise. The pieces were heavy as they are dense oak. It was in the inspection of them that the elevator started to make noises and hte gate rattle.
Maximus lowers one of the smaller pieces, then looks over to the elevator. Could be a lower floor, of course. He flashed back to the table top and ran his hand along it. "Well…someone just wanted to send me some fine wood?"
the gate opened and a familiar voice was there. "What? Oh-" There was a rustle as Kaleb took his snow boots off by the entrance as to not track awful through the place and his coat onto the back of a chair unshouldering the messenger bag he kept for all the things he used for the school day. "It got here. Wh?" But there was Max ensconced by parts. Echo blinked, took inventory, everything laid out in Max's methodical chaos where it may have made sense to him. Or unpacked it at sheer random. It was hard to tell. Confusion gave way to pleased surprise, "You were going to assemble my drafting table for me? I mean I was going to have someone come out after talking to you…" but… this was pleasant!
Maximus looks sideways at one of the pieces, then back to Kaleb, debating if he's going to tell the truth or not. He totally decides to lie and puffs his chest, "Of course. Although, to be honest, it may not have ended up a drafting table." He smiles faintly. "And likely would have moved about the room." he knocks on the wood. "Sooo…going to come do your work here, hmm? I like the sound of that…you designing things, me working on things. I could fall asleep to the sound of a pencil on paper. Its peaceful."
Kaleb blinked and looked around. He hadn't really asked, and he wasn't really the type to (ask Kellan about how Kaleb came to live there). Kaleb was a creature of decisiona dn regret-free execution. Kleb bit his lip thoughtfully and gestured with five fingers out in a circe to one side of the room facing the patio. "I was thinking maybe there. View's nice. Not far from… well the workshop." It was a second bedroom but those were all now: the Den of languishing, Workshop one and workshop #2 really. Let's just call a doomsday device a doomsday device. THe sound of consent though drew a small smile from the stoic sonic. Looking back to Max he reasoned (not that Max needed one), "The small desk is only good for afew things, and it's really hard for you to work at my place and, I dunno." Becuase he sucked at words. "I like being around you when you work. Like… I don't like noise, but it's… different when it's the ound of inspired progress if that amkes sense. But yeah, I liked the sound of it too." A grin was thrown back to Max, "I'm sure that'll happen." Though now he was getting to thinking. "You're not.. married to how all this stuff is set up precicely are you?" Hell Max didn't even pick out the furniture, but it was stylish and comfortable at least.
"I am not married to anything." Maximus grins crookedly. "You may put this wherever you wish, and I will assist you in making it become a desk, because currently, it. is. not." Here Max chuckled. "We can use the various braces I have, but I feel like that is not how this is /supposed/ to go together."
Kaleb arched an eyebrow. He wasn't ever a very expressive person outside of his inner circle and times like this it was nice to have that creative freedom in expression. It was touching really, even though they'd been a constant in one another's lives for six months it was a compliment to have that level of trust to 'build' and rearrange things in someone else's life. Given how very picky they both are it will either be a masterpiece of a floor plan or they'll never settle on anything. Digging through his messenger bag he dug out a flier for the table and walked over in his dress socks to hand the picture to MAx. "It's supposed to go together like this so it'll raise or slower or like tilt way up if I want to work vertically which, ya know as a lefty is generally helpful for me to smudge it less. The one I have at home doesn't go full vertical like this one will. See and that bit is hte slide rule to move up and down keeping an even horizon on string tracks." He watched Max examine the page with a chuckle, "But, I agree. Presently it, very much, is not presently a table." He had something else on his mind looking at the living room but gave the Engineer a moment or many to process.
Maximus props one hand on his hip as he looks at the diagram. His eyes squint and he nods. "elegant and functional. Two things I can appreciate. Of course, you could smudge it less by starting from the right side." Maximus teases the lefty. "You look to be up to something, if I could guess correctly on this." He nods sagely and wets his lips as he regads Kaleb. "What is it that you wish to do to my apartment? Tear out the floor and put in some stairs? I was thinking about it."
Kaleb chuckled folding his arms over his chest, "I think you described me the same way when we met." It wasn't but it amused him all the same. He was called out on his silence and looked for words breaking into a snicker, "Max, doesn't Corvus live below you? I think he'd take exception us putting a stairwell through his ceiling. I'm not opposed but he might be were I to venture a guess." He loved the way the man's mind saw past three dimensions into construction beyond immediate comprehension. It wasn't a ludicrious idea to him as much as it was brilliant in the oblique. With much of the thunder ripped out of his idea he tossed out, "Well I was thinking of picking up a nice cabinet player. I know in Attilan they had those slate things but I don't think Miles Davis would play so well on those."
"Something for music? Yes…feel free. This is the truth…I really…just like that I do not have to do it myself. So, if you do it, that's fine by me. I have no talent for decorating a room. I tend to just…put stuff all over the place." Max is honest about it, at least. He turns the blueprints around a few times, just looking at them from all the angles.
Kaleb looked around and stretched the grin soooo pleased. Head tiling back at an angle Echo surveyed the room and, oddly, let a higher tone warble like some Brazillian calling bird or insect for a moment getting an intimate knowledge of all teh spaces and hollow parts in teh walls, corners and angles to get the imprint to stay in his analytical memory. "You know? it 's annoying but I'm really settling into this echolocation thing. I think that time int he old city did us a world of good." There was an agreeable hmm. Still the idea of Max turning the shaping of his sanctuary to him, while just a relief from duty for Max, meant something entriely else to the picky protector of stuff. "I kinda like it, but we're gonna change parts of it."