Participants:
| Scene Title | Format? Quality Required? |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Three women embark on an ambitious project. |
| Date | July 16, 2010 |
The Verb, Penthouse
Arriving by any of four elevators, visitors will find they open into three foot corridors facing wide double doors made from sturdy southern pine which swing outward and have the strongest locks available. The stairs lead to single doors, also outward opening, at the end of three foot corridors. Entry requires both a key and a keycard; other security measures are a video camera and voice communication terminal at all doors. The 4th Street side has floor to ceiling windows interrupted only by the access points. Cream colored curtains are normally kept closed.
This level has enough space for sixteen apartments. There is an office space with reception area, conference room, and executive office; a room for archery practice and other forms of physical exercise; a very well appointed kitchen and dining area; a music zone with an array of instruments, electronics, and amplifiers; an entertainment area with an HD set covering an entire stretch of wall from floor to ceiling; a locked room where security footage for the building is recorded and can be monitored; a laundry room; a staircase for roof access; central air and heating; the main bedroom and a few smaller guest rooms; plush deep wine carpet everywhere except the kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms; and track lighting everywhere overhead. The light levels can be lowered or raised in the entire place, or selectively by segments. The overall decor suggests the occupant is a woman.
Just before the ninth hour begins, at 08:56 in fact, Cat is prepared for a group to assemble. She's got the access doors across from the elevator closest to the kitchen open in expectation of their arrival. Food for four people in the form of eggs, sausage, toast, and coffee are ready on the table should they opt to partake. The woman herself is busy following a morning routine.
She's seated at the table with a stack of newspapers from various places around the world to one side and coffee at the opposite hand. The Times Of London rests open before her, being looked at page by page.
Three or four other publications make up another stack a few inches past the coffee cup. Has she read those already?
Alia walks out of the elevator doors when they open. She is in her normal jeans, and a t-shirt. Oddly enough, the t-shirt today apparently is showing her humorous side, written in a font remincient of old computer terminals, that reads "Practice Safe Hex". More noticable, though, might be the fact that her rapier is in her sheath, which is attached to her belt. In hand is a copy of WIRED magazine, which she pages through.
She doesn't look up until she bumps into the table, then smiles and, in her friendly, quiet manner, nods to Cat, who may or may not notice, and dishes herself up a plate.
A little later than she expected to be, Kaylee Thatcher is not far behind Alia. A backpack tossed over one shoulder makes her stand a bit funny, but that is cause she's carrying all her books for the day. Once she's done there, she'll have to hurry off for her summer classes at Columbia. Thank goodness those are coming to an end soon.
"Sorry… sorry." Kaylee hurries in as soon as the elevator opens for her. "I ended up having to walk Missy again this morning. She's got a bit of a bug or something." A glance goes to Alia, giving her a nod since she recognizes the other woman. Then… "What smells so good?" Eyes drop to the table. "Oh! Food… I didn't even get a chance."
Rising to her feet partly, Cat makes greetings to the arriving pair along with a look of concern sent Alia's way. Is there a bruise from impacting the table? Seemingly not, given the technopath isn't writhing in pain or screaming. Or any other behavior indicative of pain. With that ascertained, she acknowledges the woman's presence with a nod rather than anything which might cause her to speak.
Edward's spawn, however, gets words. "Make yourself comfortable, enjoy. I've got orange juice as well as coffee." For the moment her Times Of London is left for later recording.
Alia pauses at Kaylee's entrance. Yes, the pair know each other. Alia sets her fork down to one side with a deceptive gentleness. She remembers the last time she saw this other lady, at least, in more than passing. And if the other remembers her in the same light… well, Alia knows how awkward this has potential to be. One hand reaches up a moment as if to do something near the neck of her shirt, but then moves on up to adjust her hair, before settling back down.
A grin is offered to both before Kaylee drops the book bag and takes a sit. Whatever Alia might be worried about, the telepath doesn't seem to be thinking much about it as she uses a fork to stab a few sausages and settles back. "So… how are we going to do this thing?" Brows lift with curiosity as a link is pulled off the end of the fork, so she can take a bite.
"I warn you, I do have classes this morning." There is a small huff of irritation, but then it turns into a bit of a smile, before she takes another bite. "I am ready to get a little bit of relaxation before the full semester starts."
Looking from one to the other as she returns to seated position, Cat replies "The basic idea is you, Kaylee, send the images you gave me to Alia, and Alia will try to convert them into a video file. It won't help to filter from me to her, I don't think, probably best to have it all be fresh and pass through as few people as possible."
She lifts her coffee cup to taste its contents briefly, letting the other two speak on it as they will. Or not.
Alia blinks. "Images?" She's not aware, it seems of Kaylee's ability. Which leads to her next comment. "Format? Quality required?"
"I'm a telepath." Kaylee supplies between chewing bits of sausage link. "That whole incident with the visions, I have the memories of the man that was part of what happened. Probably the only person to come out of the Institute with his memories." A last bit of meaty goodness is tossed into her mouth and she moves in for a glass of orange juice. "Cat…" her head nods at the other woman. "She wants me to put that memory of the event into your head."
Her reply is limited to specifics of the hoped-for file, adding nothing to Kaylee's explanation. "It doesn't matter which format, long as it's one most personal computers can play. As for quality, easy enough. As good as you can make it, Alia." Cat continues to partake of coffee, occasionally taking a bite of food as the others discuss.
Alia considers the request quietly, as she munches on a bit of sausage, then chews on her lip lightly. "… Purpose?" She asks this simply, and to the point. This time her hand does brush her neck, a gesture that is quickly becoming habit. "Time limit?"
That question Kaylee leaves to Cat to answer, brows lifting somewhat when she turns her attention to her. Another link of sausage is plucked off the plate. The whole idea of what they are attempting is one that has the young telepath curious. The combined talents of two abilities… could have interesting results.
"The Institute abducted Gillian Childs and Joseph Sumter to make those visions happen last month," Cat explains, "and released Joseph later. They still have Gillian. Kaylee helped Joseph remember the event that caused the visions. What I'm hoping is a video file can be made of the event, it could be used as evidence against them. Most of the time, operations like that have to be torn down by violence. Once," she asserts, "even if it's just once, I want to see if something can be done using law and media to put suspicion on them."
Alia closes her eyes and considers what is being asked, then bites her lip again, rubbing her forehead, as she reaches into her shirt pocket, pulling out a small note pad and pencil. She draws a pair of sketches. One shows a picture of two men in a sword fight, with many details quickly sketched into the background. The second shows a thoughtbubble from one of the men, but the detail isn't as sharp, things missing. She hands them to Cat. "… Evidence… unsure. Suspicion? Doable, I think." She looks to Kaylee a moment. "… Work with pictures much?"
Alia's question gets a smile and a slow nod of her head. "Memories are pictures. So when I dump the images in your head, it will be like in a way you watched a movie." Spreading her hands before her, Kaylee shrugs. "Simple as that I hope. They won't be perfect, but hopefully clear enough to be useful. I can't bring out my own memories like I can others… so you have to work with that."
Alia nods a little. "… Think in pictures." She considers. "Realistic." she hmms, and seemingly tosses an idea to the side. "Perfection… no. Good? maybe." She closes her eyes a moment in thought. "… images. Animated together. Rebuild the movie…"
"Hopefully it'll be clear enough to recognize the participants and hear conversation, see the event as it happens," Cat expresses. From there she's quiet again, occupying herself with food and coffee, maybe even a return to recording the publications on the table. Her part in this, at least until and if they have something to be viewed, is done.
"It doesn't take a whole lot to put all this into your head as long as you don't fight me." Kaylee shifts the chair back, moving to the edge of it, waiting to see if the technopath is ready. A hand it lifted and shown to the techno path. "I have to touch you." A finger is pressed toe the telepath's own temple as if showing. "Makes the connection easier." She studies her and gives a small smile. "When you're ready."
Observing, quietly, Cat has a random thought about Kaylee being twenty pounds underweight and maybe needing to eat all the food still present, and then some. The telepath may or may not hear. Moments later she rises and exits the kitchen. A portable computer is needed.
"I eat plenty." Kaylee calls out after Cat, words edged with a chuckle, before climbing to her feet so she can get closer to Alia. "Okay… this will not hurt. It'll just be weird looking at another persons memory." Wiping the last of the grease off her fingers, onto her shorts, the telepath finally reaches out with both hands and touches them to the technopath's temples.
The image of Kaylee knocking on a door asking to be let in, flashes through the other woman's mind, laced with amusement.
The blonde doesn't beat around the bush, gathering the memory of Joseph's part in the June 10th event and slowly releasing into Alia's mind. The event, while jerky in places, blurred and unclear in others, it all passes through her mind in real time as if she's watching it happen. All Cat can see is a furrow of Kaylee's brow as she concentrates.
While Kaylee is feeding images to the technopath, Cat returns and places the portable computer near Alia's hands so she can touch it and possibly begin converting information. No words are used, she doesn't otherwise do anything to draw attention on herself.
As the memory winds to and end, Kaylee lets her hands fall away from Alia's head and shuffles back to lower herself back into her chair. She watches Alia as she rubs at the pressure right behind her eyes. "Now… it's all up to her." Kaylee says matter of factly, glancing over at Cat.
Reaching across the table Kaylee relieves a plate of a strip of bacon and busies herself with it as she watches the technopath.