Wands and Warframes

Operation

"It's now reading at 49.491530."

"Try it again."

"Uh, ok? Hey it worked! And it says I have 0.000323 left."

"My instruments give a slightly different reading from that. The issue we have is that while we can measure to 6 decimal places, the accuracy of your Warframes is within 0.0005 units. Our equipment is down to 0.0001 units, and we're trying to improve the accuracy of our devices to at least 5 decimal places. Here, I'll have your Warframe recalculate it's reserves a few times."

"0.000052, 0.001037, 0.000873. Why do you need so much accuracy anyway?"

"We want to know if there are any measurable differences between before and after. So far, you're both very consistent in your own frames. But if we don't know how much energy we're feeding you, we can't tell if a change is because of us or because of you. We're also going to have you both swap Warframes and activate the same abilities to ensure that once it's calibrated for you, we can get a good calibration for the other frame."

"Um, why?"

"We already know there are differences in the way that the two of you channel energy. So we need to know if that difference is distinct to you or to manufacturing tolerances in your Warframes."

"Oh, I see, so you're trying to get to a point where your equipment measurements fluctuate less than the Warframes do, so that you can tell if a change that's happening is because of who's piloting it or not."

"Precisely."

"Why didn't you just say that?"

"I did, repeatedly, when we started."

"Sorry."

"Don't be, you're not a researcher, so no matter how smart you are, we can't expect you to understand the subtleties of what we're doing immediately. Natah and I have both had years to study this, you and Harry have been at this for a few days."

"Why is this so hard to measure anyway?"

Pandora sits back in her frame to think for a moment, "While void energy was well studied during the few thousand years before the old war, Natah's people were sent to Tau using a void jump drive after all. Most of that research was focused on how to use it for travel, and how to protect against it. It wasn't until the Sentients returned that they started looking at using it for an energy source. First in weapons, and then in equipment. Before that, it was just a fringe science that a few Archimedieans pursued using microportals and the like. The Zariman was supposed to be a Military experiment on the long-term effects of void exposure, until the experiment turned deadly real, as the translation to the void without the void shielding in place caused catastrophic damage to the drive systems. It's still there, in the void, waiting."

"Why bring up that ship?"

"Because it's an example of what the Orokin were willing to do to speed up their research into the void. They had to basically redesign their entire technical base because Sentients were far too able to just take over their previous technical base. The fact that your Warframes, and the necromechs before them, used void energy is what enabled you to be so effective against Sentient targets. Even then, it wasn't until Margulis' death and the decision to turn you all into weapons that the tide of the war changed for the Orokin the first time."

"Yeah, yeah, I know all that." Kitty grumps, "Can we get on with the testing rather than dwell on horrible history?"

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After a week of calibration, they managed to get the lab equipment down to 4 and ½ decimal places tolerance. Harry and Kitty both swapped Warframes for a few days after that. An experience that they both agreed was highly uncomfortable. However, it did highlight that their energy usage differed very slightly, and it was able to be measured accurately enough to satisfy Natah and Pandora.