Summary:Nadia and Damian meet. Science occurs. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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The Public Library.
While many people are doing E-Books or just rather getting books from their local college or bookstore, one Damian Wayne decided otherwise. Public Library's were large dumps of information and knowledge and generally had a little bit of everything, from simple storybooks to textbooks about things like forensic science.
…something that Damian is currently reading.
He wears a black longsleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up, some black jeans, and VANS tenneshoes. He seems to be resting his head on his fist as he reads diligently, emerald eyes scanning the text with full recollection.
After all, master the craft. His father's the World's Greatest Detective. One day, Damian intends to eventually surpass him. Gotta start somewhere.
But this is New York. One can find and meet anyone from any background in this city. Damian sits alone at his table, perhaps the act itself inviting someone to join him.
When your research lab runs as a non-profit it's always a good idea to try before you buy when it comes to scientific journals and papers. After all you can't stock everything if you want to have a budget for other research or any room to do experiments in. So today Nadia Van Dyne, dressed in a simple pale yellow summer dress with sneakers and a bomber jacket with an insect winged G.I.R.L logo on the back, has come to skim through the genetics textbooks.
More specifically mutant genetics. In the form of a peer reviewed paper by none other than Doctor Hank McCoy. "You don't mind if I sit here?" she asks, pointing to the seat diagonally across from Damian without actually looking up from the paper.
Despite the complex nature of her reading material she's evidently comfortable enough with the subject matter to read while she walks. Tucked under her non-pointing arm is a collection of the texts listed as citations. Although that might not be obvious to look at them. They are however mostly organic chemistry, genetics and other related topics so it probably doesn't take the worlds greatest detective (or his understudy for that matter) to guess!
Damian doesn't look up from his book either, at least not immediately. "I believe the saying is 'free country'." Damian says in a matter-of-fact kind of way. Straightforward. He is not known to dance around something - at all -. But his emerald eyes eventually look up. "Genetics. Hank McCoy is a good read." Damian comments.
Since when was he an expert on Mutant genetics and the science of sequence? Well, since he decided to read more in his spare time. Its nice when there arn't assassins trying to test you every second of the day.
He keeps his eyes on her. Summer dress, bomber jacket. Outgoing personality. Yellow sundress. Adventurous. Multiple books, college student, likely with Honors and a - very - good scholarship. His own deductions aside based on her appearance alone, Damian looks back to his book, perhaps awaiting a reply to the start of the conversation as much as much as he believes in the possibility that she might recognize him.
"Is it?" Nadia muses, there is a definite hint of Russian to her accent. "I must admit I've never heard anyone say that before. Is it intended to be ironic? Many things here are very expensive." She hmms. "Or did the statement originate alongside the American national anthem?"
A casual shrug, before she adds "I haven't had chance to finish all my planned reading for American culture and history. Just catching up on the highlights of pop culture is exhausting." She flicks another page of the paper. "It /is/ a good read though. Both in content and delivery." Her head peeks up from between the pages long enough to grin "It's like the scientific journal equivalent to hot cocoa."
"Up for interpretation." Damian says in the same straightforward fashion as before. He hears the Russian accent to her words, and while most people might get a bit uncomfortable considering the often-times headstrong relationship between the US and Russia, Damian seems unfazed. "National Anthem. And the assumption that a democratic republic equals 'I do what I want without consequence'." Damian apparently has his own insights on that.
He's going to ask her where she's from, but he'll let her reveal that herself so he doesn't appear judgemental, even if he totally is. Have to be, in his line of night-time activities.
"Got a name, or do I get to make one up for you?"
"The concept of anyone being able to 'Do what they want without consequence' sounds monsterous," Nadia replies solemnly. "And it's also pretty demonstrably wrong. You couldn't for example shout 'Bomb' in a police station. Well I guess you could but it would be a /terrible/ idea."
Another few pages get turned in quick succession. "A name? Oh yes I do….. Ah you were asking what it is?" She pauses reading just long enough to spread all the reference texts out and opens a few select ones. "Nadia. Nadia Van Dyne, it's nice to meet you mister…?"
Damian looks at Nadia. "Welcome to America. New York is especially riddled with crime." When she asks him if he's asking what her name is, Damian looks up from his book. "That would be the implied meaning in the context." Then she reveals herself.
"Damian. Damian Wayne." he doesn't give the name al Ghul since she definitely wouldn't know who he was. He's proud of his heritage to Bruce Wayne. "I've read some of your papers. Your breakthroughs are fascinating, but at times a bit long-winded." He says with a straight face. God, he'd be so good at poker.
Damian's been in the news a lot lately, working charity events. Certainly shocked high society when Bruce revealed him publically as his son.
"When you don't have any formal qualifications you need to ensure everything is explained in the most detail possible," Nadia points out, glancing between her various stacks of documents. "Otherwise you spend five times as long correcting people." She pauses to grin. "They do read a lot better in Russian."
"I think I have heard your name before too… Something to do with the guy who runs that corporation.." She shoves her hand into the pocket and pulls out a mostly uncrumpled business card. It lists Nadia as the director of the Genius in action research lab alongside a logo matching her jacket. "It would probably be very silly of me not to suggest that if you're ever in need of a good cause to make tax deductable donations we'd be happy for more funding. But don't feel obliged. I'm sure you get similar requests more often than I read books." Which is likely more than a few from the rate she's going through the research paper she's holding.
"Understandable." Damian looks up from his book to look at the various documents she places down. The card she pulls out and offers him is accepted as he narrows his eyes at it. A think tank. Asking for money.
Don't they all?
"Try investing in renewable energy, you'd get the money you need." Damian pockets the card though. "You'd be right about that."
He has a passing knowledge of Russian, but he's by no means fluent whatsoever.
Nadia Van Dyne tilts her head. "Oh I have already sold patents to provide the core of our funding," she informs earnestly. "It's something I believe in and I don't have any particular need for the money. Besides if I were to come up with any breakthrough ideas in the field of renewable energy I'd probably just make them open source and let everyone use them. Probably something involving artificially generating a tiny black hole." She stops reading and her brow furrows. "That does sound like a fun project actually. I'll have to make time to look into it further."
Her fingers tap against the desk a few times. "You mentioned about the city being riddled with crime earlier. Is that something connected to your choice of reading material?"
Damian looks at Nadia as she claims she's sold patents. "Good for you. Keep a steady income and you'll always have some measure of progress." then he shrugs a bit as he closes the book and crosses his arms over his chest. "Create a black whole and you could swallow the entire planet. Be - very - careful in how you proceed. Can we and should we are two questions we need to ask ourselves everyday."
But when she asks him about his study into forensic science, he nods. "If I can help clean the city up at least a little bit, I will." he answers somewhat sternly. "Whats your reason for science?"
Nadia Van Dyne rolls her eyes. "It's perfectly safe if done correctly. I'm not the first person to consider the idea you know," she points out matter-of-factly. "A micro black hole, created correctly, wouldn't have the ability to pull the planet anywhere near within a timescale we'd have to be concerned about. The sun would be a problem first."
The why science question receives a puzzled frown. "That is a much more complicated question than you might think. The short answer however.." She bites her lip. "I suppose it would be to fix the world. Bit by bit anyway. Besides I enjoy it."
"If done correctly." Damian speaks the key words of her confidence. "If done wrong, you screw us all." he says with a stern look in his eye. "But the stability in the black hole requires specifically placed variables and exponents, so to speak. If even the slightest mistake is made, you odn't need me to tell you the consequences."
Damian was a realist.
"Fix the world how? End world hunger?" Its not said mockingly, he's just trying to understand her thought process.
"I'm not planning to put this together on an afternoon you know," Nadia points out, turning her attention back down to her reading. "You start with a good theory and prove it before you even remotely consider implimenting it." She hrms. "Well with a few notable exceptions." She shifts her attention back and forth between three of the documents. "Food, energy, education, shelter and healthcare," Each points counted off on a finger. "I think that covers most of it anyway. I guess you could argue that art and culture are important too but it only seems fair someone else handles /some/ of the work."
"While this is fair, its still something that should be done with the utmost care. Not even Tony Stark or Reed Richards would make a black whole for the sake of making a black hole." Damian says with a bit of a stare in his eyes, but then he seems to give up on trying to dissuade her. When she states her goals for changing the world, Damian seems to at least somewhat approve.
"very noble of you. Art and culture is present so long as humanity endures." he shrugs. "Do you have any outside help other than your Think Tank?"
"Oh I'm not making it as a pet. You could generate vast amounts of energy from it," Nadia points out, then with a laugh she adds "I'm also unsure if you are right about Tony Stark and Reed Richards. I suspect you're likely to move in similar social circles, perhaps you could ask them sometime."
"We get the occasional Government grant, private donations and things like that." She hrms. "Most of the 'idea' based help comes from open discussions. Online debate. Whatever means the individual members prefer really so long as it's ethical and works for them."
There's a buzzing in her pocket and she surreptitiously sneaks out her smartphone, it is a library after all. "I think perhaps I am needed back at the lab. We're doing some delicate work on a long distance transportation system." She pockets the phone and begins packing up her book stack.
"Maybe." Is all Damian says about that, but then she announces her departure back to her lab.
"I should be getting home as well. THere's a college project already coming up and I would be wise to keep on that." He rises to his feet then, taking that thick book and putting it in the crook of his arm to carry it easily.
"Until next we meet then, Nadia. Safe travels." Damian didn't smile even once during that entire conversation. Huh. Serious guy. But nonetheless, he turns on his heel.
Long distance transportation, huh? He might need to look into that.
Nadia Van Dyne scoops the books up. "Oh I'll be flying back," she admits. "No safer way to travel!" She nods her head. "Have fun with your project." And with that she sets off to return her collection of books.