Participants:
| Scene Title | Theories Before the Theater |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Magnes tracks Yana down for help with a theory of his. Yana offers up her opinion on the matter, and directs him to a colleague of hers. |
| Date | December 17 |
Dorchester Towers is a huge white building surrounded by a carefully landscaped stretch of gardens. The spacious lobby almost has more window than wall, white and green marble floor tiles gleaming in the light; it is occupied by doormen and a concierge to assist renters and guests. Nine high-speed elevators provide convenient access to upper stories; every floor has its own laundry room. Closed-circuit TV monitors the lobby and grounds, and every apartment has a security system, double-bolt door locks, and even window locks. The complex has its own garage, a bicycle room, and a sun deck.
The elevator doors open with a resounding ding, heralding the entrance of one rather tall individual. A man who looks about 6'5" or some other giant height, dark hair, dressed in a suit and tie, a stoic expression on his face handsome and mysterious. He takes a step through the double doors, shifting off to the side and placing a large hand upon the door to hold it open. What follows after him is a much smaller woman, a lady in a black evening gown, strapless shoulders, split up the side to give exposure to her legs, and the black stiletto heels that she wears which click across the marbled floor as she walks. She wears a pair of satin gloves up her forearms, and an expensive set of diamond earrings, matching the diamond choker around her neck. The large man carries an expensive lady's coat with him as well, the two of them starting to head towards the end of the lobby with him in the lead.
Eventually, she stops, and he leaves with a bow of his head, stepping off to the exit of the building, Yana is left waiting silently and patiently in the center of the lobby. She looks a little tired in her expression, almost bored in a dreamy way. The doorman smiling and tipping his hat to her from behind his place at the desk. Yana returns one to him kindly, with a nod of acknowledgement, polite and cordial.
Magnes is leaning against the wall in the lobby, oddly enough, after hearing that she wasn't home. His eyes go over the evening gown and he nearly chokes, clearing his throat. Is that really his former tutor? He stands, much taller than when he was 14, and more filled out and broad shouldered than she'd remember. Thank god for puberty not making him look like Tim Hunter for the rest of his life. "I, uh, Doctor Blite?" he asks, still stammering over his words like always.
He came wearing a long black zipped up jacket and a brown backpack, thumbs through the straps. This is more of a casual encounter than anything.
By the time he addresses her, Yana is adjusting her effects. A small wrinkle in her gloves is pulled tight and smoothed out as if she has done this a million times before. Hearing him address her, brings her to pause, and she raises one eye to regard him through the mirror. Curious. It has been years, so she doesn't really recognize him. She has a decent memory, as she tends to recall all of her past experiments, though she didn't experiment on him. Not sure why.. It was opportune. Regardless, she eyes him with a hint of scrutiny, turning and looking out the door to where her attendant went to. "I'm afraid you have me at a bit of a disadvantage. You'll have to forgive me if we have met before, I do not quite recall your name at the moment." Back then of course, she was still named Puika, before she became a doctor, and married years ago.
"When I was fourteen, you were one of my tutors. I'm Magnes J. Varlane." That guy on TV. Magnes keeps clearing his throat, not approaching too closely, his eyes keep averting to his shoes. "Could we speak in private? I didn't know who else to come to, and since you're the person I learned most of what I know of molecular biology from, I thought it was only fitting that I come to you with this…"
"Ah. Yes, of course." Yana calmly states, ignoring his presence for a quick second to finish adjusting her clothing. Much more important things, he can wait. "Magnes. It's been years, and you've seem to have made quite a name for yourself." Good or bad, she doesn't really let on as to which. It could be considered rude, and heaven forbid she be viewed at such. She turns from the mirror finally, in order to meet him actual face to face, crossing the distance with a few graceful steps, bringing her closer rather then waiting for him to approach. She might be a little suspicious. When people from her past come looking for her, she finds herself a little skeptical about their intentions. On the other hand, he is a potential cultivator, as is anyone else, so hearing him out is the least she can do. "Hm. I was actually on my way out, but if you wouldn't mind riding, we can speak in my car. I can have Christopher drop you off where you need. There is show starting soon, and I'm meeting a gentleman friend of mine at the theater." She becomes mobile once again, stepping towards the door.
"Oh, uh, alright, let's go." Magnes slips his hands into his jacket pockets, nodding his head to the door so he can follow. "I'm sure you heard of GFAJ-1, the Arsenic DNA. It made me think, of all the people with abilities I've met, especially the abilities that don't make sense. I have this hypothesis, about people that turn into elements and shadows and things. I think their DNA might turn into an entirely new form, something we're not even capable of detecting yet. And I think that if we can come up with an ability formula, we could use knockout mice to discover these DNA variants. I'll use it in a thesis when I go for my doctorate."
Eventually, the tall man returns to get the door for her. He notices Magnes as an addition to Yana's presence, and a suspicious stare is given to him by hard blue eyes before he looks to Yana. The woman diffuses the giant with a casual nod of her head and a dismissive wave of her hand, returning him to his job of holding the door. She steps out of the lobby, where a black limo is waiting, for Christopher to open the back door, and wait for Yana and Magnes to enter before closing it behind them.
Yana settles into her seat while she listens, bringing to cross one of her legs over the other and shift her seating to one side. "Abilities?" she peers at him, reaching over to the station to open the port where the glasses and refreshments are, "Evolved abilities, I take it? You're thinking of designing a formula to instill evolved abilities?" she places a few ice cubes into a glass, "Magnes.. your proposing something that is a rather touchy subject. This isn't something that can be conducted so casually. Have you considered the permits and the funding for such research? By the way, would you care for a drink?"
"No, that's alright, I'd rather not fly with alcohol in my system." Magnes' eyes keep shifting from her's, to the floor, apparently unable to decide which to stay locked on to. "I don't want to make a formula to give people abilities, that would be dangerous. I want to give them to mice, so we can see if DNA actually changes when people shift from a solid state to something else. If we had the DNA of someone with a synthetic ability, do you think we could somehow cultivate something? As for funding… I can figure something out, but I need to know if you're willing to help me with this project."
There's another pause, before he adds, "The public doesn't need to know about any of this until we have our results."
She has to feign shock at his last statement. It is a complete and total lie however, as she has quite some nerve playing surprised at such a thing. The hundreds of people she has secretly experimented on? Her ethics are a little on the twisted side, "Mr. Varlane," she reaches a splay hand up to touch just above her cleavage at her neck. She looks.. a little appalled. "You're proposing that we do this in secret? Have you any idea the ethical violations that could encour? You would at least need an institution as backing for such experiments." she settles back, occupying her hands by pouring herself a martini with two olives.
"That being said. I also have to speak on your subject matter. Your intentions and your vision are admirable, though I'm not sure if Evolved research has advanced to the level of giving Evolved abilities to animals. After all, have you heard of a dog developing an ability? Or a rat for that matter? It is highly probable that they don't even possess the capacity to manifest Evolved abilities. What.. is your ultimate goal here, exactly? To what end?" clearly this theory sounds a bit farfetched to her. "There are dozens of other breakthroughs that would need to be accomplished before we could even factor that in."
"But knockout rats are very close to our genetic makeup. And it's not as if we're experimenting on humans, this is just research into DNA itself, and its capabilities. I just want to expand our understanding of how abilities work, and use it in my thesis when I start writing it." Magnes crosses his arms, considering 'institution' backing. "If I can get the resources without a large institution backing us, will you do it?"
Yana takes a sip of her drink, bringing it to her lightly colored lips with her fingers poised properly for a woman of her breeding, swallowing the fluid before she reaches to set it down in it's holder. "Magnes, allow me to level with you here." she leans forward, folding her gloved hands over one another, upon her knee, "There is a reason that these rats haven't naturally manifested abilities. What you are proposing is taking research that has already come so far, and taking several steps back in order to give Evolved abilities to rats. What about the psychological implications? The higher brain functions that are required to use evolved abilities?" she adjusts her dress with a few pushes and pulls from her fingers and continues, "Not to mention— in the event you actually could do it—how can you be sure that you will even get the ability you require to do your intended research?" Yana takes in a breath, and she gives a small sigh, "I suggest that you start off aiming a little lower. There is a colleague of mine, Elijah Ruslan, who is working on a way to discern the ability manifested before a person actually does so. Perhaps I could direct you to speak with him in perhaps assisting with his research. I work closely with him to help reach that conclusion. He may be able to use your idea, and also help you to fill in the gaps on your theory."
"Well, it's a start… I'm willing to try. There's a lot I have to learn still, that's why I came to you, because I know there's more I can learn from you." Magnes motions to the drinks, apparently wanting one now. "You're one of the few peole I actually got to speak to as a kid, you're one of the only people who know what I used to be like, who can really understand me."
"It's simply patience, Mr. Varlane. Many people these days are in such a rush, that they don't really take the time to listen." The woman smiles, her colored nails pull a free glass from the stand, preparing another martini. "You were pretty young back then, and I have a nephew who requires a great bit more patience than normal. He's now about the age you were then. So yes, I understand." she hands over the drink. "This is what I will do. I'll set something up with Elijah, at least get you to speak with him, and see if he is alright will fitting you in on the research. I'll discuss it with him tomorrow in the lab. It is fair to warn you, however. Elijah is rather.. critical when it comes to scientific subjects. I just ask that you bare with his demeanor, it takes a bit of getting used to."
"It's alright, as I said, I have a lot to learn, and I'd rather have critical than sugar coated." Magnes holds his hand out for the glass when she's finished, briefly looking through the window as he starts to relax just a bit. Hot woman shock does wear off eventually. "It's so strange, I remember you back then, and it's like you haven't changed at all, I mean, you're still so young. I feel like the only one who got any older."
Yana chuckles charmingly, reaching forward to settle a gloved hand upon the boy's knee, "That is very sweet of you to say. But believe me, I've changed quite a bit: I've been married and widowed within the past few years, finished my degree and got in with a good company. I've discovered vaccines for several previously unknown strains of viruses, which in turn landed me where I work now. I was fortunate enough to find a study in Evolved research, which I hope will produce groundbreaking results. Only time will tell." she takes another sip of her drink. She isn't about to admit to her private research.
"I'm sorry about your husband. Makes my recent breakup seem kind of silly…" Magnes raises the martini to his lips, taking very small sips, not particularly wanting to get drunk. "You've been very successful. I haven't done a lot since the bomb, at least not academically. My father's a bit disappointed in me, it's one of the reasons I've decided to buckle down and go to Columbia. He's one of the people in charge of the Commonwealth Institute."
"Oh, I've come to terms with Gregori's passing. It was a terrible time, and quite disturbing to watch him go the way he did, but I was beside him every step of the way." Being the cause of his terrible illness, and making it much worse than it actually should have been. But.. that's what happens when you need someone out of the way. "I lost a brother to the bomb, which is where I gained my nephew. I took him in, he stays with me now." The vehicle pulls in to the opera house. The 6'5" tall man jumps out of the driver's side to run around to the other end of the car.
"The Commonwealth Institute? My, such a small world. That would make your father, my boss.. Well.. one of them." she gestures with a gentle flip of a gloved hand. The door opens, drawing Yana's attention to the man awaiting her exit. "Ah, it seems like we have arrived. Is there somewhere I can instruct Christopher to drive you to?"
"No, it's fine, Doctor Blite." Magnes opens the door and steps out, smiling as he shuts the door behind him. "I'll fly home. It was nice speaking with you again, lots of memories of our liposome and micelle experiments." He waves her off, then starts walking down the street, apparently going somewhere private before the actual flight part.