Summary:A meeting of minds between the Wasp and the Beast. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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The august halls of New York University have been involved in producing some of the finest minds in the world. One of the perks of being a graduate is that the school keeps one in the loop as to current lectures, and has a habit of keeping tabs on the work of the graduates in case they want to hit them up for contributions - both monetary, of course, and often in having them lecture if they do such things. Today's speaker is a very distinctive fellow, massively muscular, and blue-furred.
The topic probably what got Nadia's attention - quantum entanglement as it relates specifically to and interacts with biological compounds. PRETTY rarefied topic there, the hall is almost empty, in fact it isn't even the main hall either. Regardless, the speaker's voice is deep, his enunciation exacting, and his sheer LOVE for science almost a wonder in itself. All in all the presentation was certainly thought provoking, and the presentation itself remarkable.
With a final grin, Hank McCoy inclines his head to the audience of five. "Thank you all for your time, ladies, gentlemen." And then he shuts down the projectors and such, and starts cleaning up the papers he had on the podium. Though he didn't hold a questions and answers session, he's clearly not going anywhere in a hurry.
While Nadia Van Dyne might not have any college connections or contacts the internet is a wonderful equalizer when it comes to the distribution of information. Especially in the very esoteric fields which combine advanced aspects of both the physics and biology disciplines. Thankfully, despite what seemed to be a thrilling lecture topic, there was almost no competition for the best seats in the lecture hall and Nadia Van Dyne has been front and centre. Perching on the edge of her seat as she makes notes on a bespoke seeming tablet computer.
With the lecture over the young woman, dressed casually in jeans and a bomber jacket with comfortable looking sneakers, remains in her seat. Not specifically to give the other attendees chance to ask questions, although that is a perk, but because she's still typing away. A string of numbers and characters in both Russian and English that looks rather like a code.
When the post lecture questions have eventually begun to die down she finally pipes up, a hint of Russian to her accent, and asks "I was wondering Doctor McCoy, do you have any advice in regards to convincing mutants with abilities that seemingly defy conventionally understood laws of physics to assist with scientific studies?" She frowns and quickly adds "Ethical studies that is. Full informed consent obtained up front. Nothing invasive or harmful."
The Internet is without question a great balancer, the problem with the topic is exactly what probably fascinated Nadia the most - it combines two very different fields of study, there's really not very many people that have the training to have an interest in where such things interact. In truth some of his theories are a bit off but he doesn't have her background with the microverse to draw upon, and without that particularly esoteric point of view, without that experience, how could he? That said - the work he's done is quite exciting, and hopefully will spark some new ideas in his listener's minds.
Hank steps down from the podium for the questions, leaning against the stage and that's another thing that stands out - even when people raise doubts, he's ENGAGED by the discussion. He's actually excited by even the harshest criticism because at the end of the day it isn't about HIM, it is about /SCIENCE!/.
As things wind down he has actually sit down on the edge if the stage, long legs still quite easily on the ground. Nadia's question, that definitely draws the full focus of bright blue eyes. "Oh, that's an excellent question! Much of my research is into the nature of mutation, and I'm always delving into the 'hows' of mutant powers. My own abilities are fairly straight forward, but I have worked with some people with absolutely remarkable powers that defy description." He grins. "Did you have a particular ethically chosen fully disclosed to subject in mind?"
"Specifically? Not right at this moment. Although I recently met someone who I think may have been a telepathic mutant and I was curious how something as complex as a brain could be scanned and manipulated instantly at a distance. I'd very much like to understand how the information got from one place to the other.." Nadia explains cheerfully, her attention still mostly fixed on her notes. "Oh I've also put together a… It's not really a rebuttal of some of your points but there were a few sections in which your theories don't quite match up with observed results. Which I'd be happy to email to you, if you wanted."
"It's all supported by data I assure you…. Oh I should probably introduce myself!" There's no hostility in her tone. It's all delivered as simple matter of fact statements. As if discussing the weather. "I'm Nadia. Nadia van Dyne. I'm the director of the Genius in action research lab. Or G.I.R.L for short."
"A yes, I know a number of mutant telepaths, actually. The physics of telepathy is something I've been working on for years, it is very difficult as much of it involves an entirely separate yet interlaced realm which is fairly well inscrutable without their unique powersets and the structure of their brains. I have made a little headway, of course, even so my understanding is fairly limited compared to a true wielder of the power itself." He looks to Nadia, head canted at a slight angle as he considers. "Are you at liberty to reveal the name of the individual you met? It is possible I might know them, especially if they're a mutant."
When she offers her rebuttal -and- supporting data his eyes nearly glow with interest. "I would love that." He produces a business card with his contact details on it. "Ah yes, I have read a couple of your papers, Miss Van Dyne, truly insightful work - I especially enjoyed the work you did on recombinant DNA techniques to help combat memory loss due to Alzheimer's and normal degeneration over time. Quite fascinating indeed." A hand that could span a dinner plate is offered. "Hank McCoy, a pleasure to meet you Miss Van Dyne. So…where did you matriculate from?" Fair question. Knowledge on her level isn't something you just get out of a box of cracker jacks!
"I wouldn't like to reveal names without speaking to the person in question first," Nadia replies apologetically as she reaches up to take the business card, offering one of her own in return, and shaking the offered hand. Or at least as best she can without a dramatic shift in size. "I'll have that sent over to you shortly then." She holds the business card up to the tablets camera and taps a few keystrokes in. "Presumably it can't be entirely inaccessable to regular people though? Or else our minds wouldn't intrude in such a way they could influence them."
She laughs softly. "It's only a side project for now anyway," she admits. "I'm trying to keep my focus on cold fusion right now. Part of a much longer term project that hopefully will one day include an orbital singularity generator that could power a country." A shrug. Then she blinks a few times "Matriculate? You'll have to excuse me, English is not my first language." Her fingers dance on the tablet again. "Oh. Graduate from college? I didn't really. I attended a remote boarding school in Siberia and left Russia for… well you could say political reasons."
"Which is precisely why I asked if you were at liberty to say, Miss Van Dyne." Hank says with a toothy grin. Clearly not offended, in fact - he seems to warm a bit, definitely approving that Nadia's response was so very ethical. "I look forward to it, very much." Shifting gears back to the topic of telepathy. "Oh, it isn't. There is a sort of 'substrate' that exists, and pretty much all sentient life appears to have some level of connectivity to it, giving rise to such things as the 'akashic memory', and the 'astral realm'. I have no direct experience with the former, but some with the latter. MOST interesting, and very dangerous." And it is a big part of why he learned how to shield his mind!
He nods with her laughter. "I like the cut of your jib, Miss Van Dyne, a safe singularity generator would be a terrific boon, the energy potential of that is almost incalculable." He takes out his reading glasses, and spends a few moments wiping them with a handkerchief. "Exactly, what school did you attend." He confirms with a smile. The answer is suitably vague that he doesn't press for more details, and he has heard of weirder by far. "Ah, 'political reasons', I know several people with that circumstance, rather well actually."
"Such things make me question if the Stargate Project from the Seventies actually had a scientific basis," Nadia wonders, her brow furrowing as she considers the notion. "But much of the information into the US Governments investigations into telepathy is either classified or muddied with so many conspiricy theories as to be functionally useless. According to public records the CIA did discredit the work when they took it over but I wouldn't be shocked to discover it was still ongoing in some form.."
She chews at her lip. "My former school? Oh it didn't have a name and as far as I am aware it no longer exists. It's not really something I would like to talk about. While I did receive a very thorough education the teaching staff left a lot to be desired in many regards." She offers an apologetic smile and wave of her hand. "Besides I've always considered it far more important what I do with my knowledge rather than how I came to know it."
"Hard to say, well before my time and my Security Clearance isn't sufficient to delve into it, though now you have me curious." Hank adds with a laugh. Glasses clean, he puts them away in the breast pocket of his suit jacket, and the hanky in the pocket of the shirt once more. He looks thoughtful a moment, and then nods once. "I can share some of my telepathy research with you, though obviously there's a bit I'll need to adjust to protect my friends." Another huge smile, rather toothy and complete with fangs — if devoid of menace. "That's the beauty of true science, it is an -exchange- of ideas. Fair?"
He waives any further though about the school. "Say no more, however, if you'd like to get a formal PhD or two, I have connections and am an accredited instructor, though not at the collegiate level. I could help you get the credentials that so many people seem to obsess about, it will help your credibility in the field as well."
Nadia Van Dyne grins. "The CIA review was in ninety five I believe. That information came from the internet though and so some degree of citation would be needed! And if you're happy to share research with anonymised data that would be wonderful. Over at G.I.R.L we don't generally carry out any research which could have an obvious military application, so having access to third party research of that nature 'off the books' so to speak would be informative and I think very useful for coming up with future policy decisions." She pushes the power button on her tablet. "For example I do worry someone might think they could fund us to 'cure' mutants. Which is absurd. They might as well ask for us to cure having blue eyes."
"As for my credibility… While I appreciate the offer.. Well I think I'm more than able to demonstrate my qualifications in a very practical sense." She beams a smile and then her tablet computer shrinks. Becoming impossibly small in the blink of an eye. She then proceeds to tuck the device into her jacket pocket. "A little flashy I know but it beats lugging around a backpack all the time."
"I was born in ninety-seven, Miss Van Dyne." Hank offers, and yeah, that makes him a very young fella to have so many doctorates. Like, insanely young to have more than one, let alone six. "I am happy to share research, you're helping me, I can and should reciprocate. I'm also firmly in favor of equal rights for women so it sounds like G.I.R.L. is a fine group to support. It is absurd to gender bias scientific inquiry — possibly even criminal, to my way of thinking. The mind knows no gender, not really." A shrug then. "In any case, I can sanitize my data, and would be most happy to share with you." A grin then. "Provided of course that should you find any new and interesting ideas from it, or avenues I haven't thought to explore that we can collaborate. Deal?"
He laughs with delight as the tablet is miniaturized. "Oh, that's splendid. But…your qualifications were never in doubt by myself, I've read some of your papers." And is going to read more now that he's met Nadia! "A degree -does- however open doors, regardless of ability you'll be hampered without one of those pieces of paper, ridiculous or not."
"Oh my point was more that the research went on a lot longer than most people would have guessed. Too often people hear about a strange thing from history and assume it was a relic of the past when it's actually within living memory for a considerable number of people," Nadia points out earnestly. "Although I must admit I never took the time to look up how old you were before attending this lecture. It never seemed especially important." She zips her jacket pocket up. Vitally important when your tablet computer is exceptionally easy to misplace! "I'd be glad to share any findings I make. While membership in G.I.R.L is limited to individuals who identify as female there's nothing to prevent members from collaberation outside the organization."
Her fingers drum against the arm rest of the chair and she offers another shrug. "It's something I may find I need to do if G.I.R.L starts to expand in scale," she admits. "People presumably will be more inclined to invest in an education charity run by someone with recognized qualifications. But for now at least it's not something I have the time for.. There are only so many hours in the day and I'm not quite ready to begin work on an angstrom scale temporal lab."
"A fair point, and I thank you for the correction, Miss Van Dyne." Hank smiles then. "Well, it is no more relevant than whether or not you have a degree. My age is just what it is, ability is what matters, isn't that what you had just argued?" He definitely understands the desire to protect one's PC! Heck, Hank probably didn't even consider it, so evidently true. "Oh, I definitely do not identify as female." He won't mention is 'Three Days of Hetty', definitely gave him some new perspective, but that's probably not even an honorary mention.
"Forgive me, I didn't mean to give any offense, I just try to look long term." A helpless shrug. "Oh…" He laughs. "…days are not long enough, and I can't even conceive how to do such a thing, angstrom scale? What would you build with when dealing with inter-atomic distances?"
Hank's really good at a lot of stuff, but /that/ sort of knowledge just not in his wheel house save in the most rudimentary of ways. Eyes of blue narrow. "Though you did shrink the laptop…"
Nadia Van Dyne springs to her feet. "Oh don't worry," she assures with a smile. "I'm very hard to offend and I don't think you've said anything which would give me a reason to be upset." Between her height, build and general appearance it'd be easy to assume she was on campus as a mistake. Although she moves with the self assured confidence of someone who knows she's in the right place. "What I'd build it from? Hrm. Well that depends on what I wanted it to look like I think. Although there are naturally going to be some structural requirements."
"It's not really something I can explain though," she admits apologetically. "There are some fields of research which aren't really suitable for public venues… I'm sure you can understand."
"Good, because I confess I'm looking forward to your email, and seeing what you do with mine, I'd really rather not miss out on the fun." Yes, hard science that would melt a normal brain into goo is 'fun'! Seeing that Nadia's hopped up, he rises too, gathering up his papers and slipping them into a leather briefcase. "Well, yes, you'd have to work using subatomic particles - protons, neutrons and the like for construction materials…and that doesn't seem all that viable."
He nods understandingly at the apology. "Absolutely I do, why do you think I wish to sanitize my data? Too much strikes too close to home, literally." Rather gallantly, and VERY old fashioned he offers a bow. For a burly fellow he's awfully limber. "Perhaps I might escort you out, Miss Van Dyne? Assuming you're heading out, that is."
"Unfortunately I do need to get back to my lab," Nadia says, glancing at the exit to the lecture hall. "I've got to do some background reading on a potential new investor. A group called RESCUE. And perhaps then when it's done I can get back to the fun things. My friend Shay is working on a transportation gateway that folds space to allow long distance travel. Right now it only drops people a dozen foot away, but the theory is sound. It's just ensuring the power requirements are met and the calibration is good enough so that the connection remains stable."
"An escort feels a touch unnecessary, but if you also need to head in the same direction I wouldn't object to walking with you."
"You no doubt have many demands on your time running an organization like G.I.R.L., Miss Van Dyne." Hank says without missing a beat. "As it happens there's a few projects of my own in need of my attention." And then she once again has to go an pique his curiousity. "Folding space…interesting." Once again his brain gets tangented. "A dozen feet mm? I…" A sigh. "…expect this is also going to fall into the category of 'not suitable for discussion in a public venue'." He laughs, a deeply bass rumbling. "And I'll curb the slew of questions that occur."
"OH, I don't offer out of necessity, I offer because you've been delightful to talk with." A nod. "And yes, I'm heading that way as well." He'll get the door if permitted, hell, he's totally fine with HER getting the door for HIM she'd rather, and amiably amble out until their ways part.
"Oh I can't talk specifics about that project because it's not my work to speak about," Nadia explains cheerfully as she strolls towards the exit. "But it should be operational for commercial use within the next twenty years at the most. Probably closer to ten. Once it's ready for public use I'll be sure to let you know though."
If she cared at all about who got the door it doesn't seem to show on her face. And her walking pace remains constant throughout. "It's certainly one of the most impressive projects underway. We've also got a world class botanist doing plant communication research.. Some of the work we do is so exciting that I often forget it's supposed to be my job. It really doesn't feel like work!"
"Oh, well…" Hank says, getting this door and letting Nadia get the next. "The best science gets is when it is FUN. Which is most of the time." Most but not all. "Hell, even when it is not fun it teaches us something." Hank grins and once they part ways. "I should like very much to meet again sometime, Miss Van Dyne. Until the next time, however I thank you for some very stimulating conversation." And then he bows once more, and takes his leave.