10581/China - The Aftermath

China - The Aftermath
Date of Scene:	29 December 2019
Location:	Archaeology Department, NYU, NY
Synopsis:	Indy and Cindy return...and plan for their next expedition.
Cast of Characters:	Indiana Jones, Silk

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Indiana Jones has posed:
Two hours after their plane lands, Indiana Jones and his protege, Cindy Moon, are back in the large, cluttered office at NYU. Jones had spent most of the flight tapping away at his tablet, with a Bluetooth keyboard slaved to it to make the input quicker. He had finished the report and sent it along to three government agencies, the trustees for the Archaeology department, and a few colleagues who had a right to know.
He sent the emails as soon as they arrived at the airport.
Indy opened the door for Cindy, smiling wryly. "Office, sweet office."

Silk has posed:
Cindy spins past Indy, into the office, and she offers him a sweeping bow and an exuberant grin. "Welcome home, Sir. Can I get you something? A drink? Can I take your coat? Massage your feet?" The crinkle of a protein bar wrapper in the pocket of her black hoodie is evidence of her OCD snack smuggling.

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy closes the door, then slides the suitcase to one corner and slides into his chair behind the desk. He smiles wryly. "I see your batteries are still full, Miss Moon. So..." He takes a deep breath and then hangs his fedora on the hat rack. "I would like to hear your observations on our recent expedition. I require your complete honesty."

Silk has posed:
Cindy backs up to the corner of the desk, and seats herself there, entwining her fingers and locking her hands together between her knees. "Observations...like..." She crinkles her nose thoughtfully. "I mean...Just wow, really. I had no idea there were really...real....mythologies...that still exist. She was...she is....real. Like I saw her. I touched her. She's...real."

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy nods slowly. "Yes. But she was once a normal girl who stumbled into something powerful. Apart from the invulnerability and immortality, she had no other real special abilities other than knowledge, and the willingness to teach others. This is the kind of thing myth can spring from. Time and activity. An immortal teacher becomes a deity." He put the leather pouch on his desk. "Similar things happen today. Only we call them 'superheroes' instead of 'gods' and 'goddesses.' It requires time to ponder what you do that will live on after you."

Silk has posed:
Cindy averts her gaze, seemingly becoming absorbed in the fluttery movements of a cobweb in the corner of the office. Slowly, she shakes her head. "That stuff is so much bigger than this is. Than I am. I don't think you can really even compare the two." She finally turns her gaze back on Indy. "Immortality is bigger than anything I can do."

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy chuckles. "Immortality is just Not Dying. But it's what you do with it that can elevate you...or condemn you. Hsi Wang Mu used it to educate people. You use it to help people in a more physical way. But what you do with what you have...that is important."

Silk has posed:
"Like you," Cindy replies with a sincere smile playing across her lips. "You do so much. Not just for any one person. Not even for small groups of people. What you do is important to the entire world." She lets her gaze caress the features of his face, as she takes him in. "Do you even know how important you are?"

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy looks at Cindy, a tired smile on his face. "I try not to think too much about it. Then I'll get too great an ego and it'll come back to bite me later." He looks around, then says, "Listen, Cindy...if you have to go because someone needs you. You know, the crimefighting stuff you seem to be good at...don't feel like I'd ask you to choose me over that. That's also important. So don't apologize for choosing to do that, either. If I get jealous of you about that, DUMP ME IMMEDIATELY. Either that, or look for some alien growth on the back of my neck."

Silk has posed:
Cindy grins mischievously, and she leans in and wraps her arms around Indy's neck. "You worry too much," she says softly into his hair, and she kisses the top of his head. "I would never ask you to be anything other than what you are. Just like you'd never ask that of me. That's why we work, y'know..."

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy nods slowly, touching Cindy's cheek. "Even though I'm an old codger and you're a superheroine? Might not be the strangest pairing, but it's in the top 40." He looks deep into those almond eyes, then to the stack of papers. "Maybe I should lay out the projects I'm currently working on...after I get some sleep. You can do whatever suits you, but bright and early tomorrow morning, you and I are going to get to work. I'll grade papers tonight so the TA can proctor the morning class, but I need to get back to a decent sleep schedule." He winks, then digs in his desk and pulls out a paperback copy of THE PRINCE by Machiavelli. "Your homework. And i want you to study up an Machiavelli."

Silk has posed:
Cindy takes the book from Indy, and she hugs it to her chest, nodding. "Promise. I'll read every word. And I'll study. I can't wait to hear the whole plan. It's bound to be at LEAST as exciting as China, don't ya think?"

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy sighs. "I really hope not. At least Italy isn't run by a Communist regime...right now. Mussolini was a lunatic. But study. You'll be surprised how an education can be as life-saving as a bullwhip." He hmms. "I haven't been there in over a decade. I hope that Italian inspector doesn't still have a mad-on for me..."

Silk has posed:
Looking back into Indy's face, Cindy grins. "Naaah, I can't imagine anyone staying mad at you for long. Especially not THAT long. You're far too charming." She flips through the book, perusing its pages. "Besides, distance makes the heart grow fonder."

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy snorted. "I cost him a promotion. I doubt he'll be forgiving. How's your Italian?"

Silk has posed:
"E magnifico, ovviamente, amore mio." Cindy winks at Indy and wiggles on the corner of the desk. "Yeah, I kinda studied Italian back when you said we were gonna go in search of that manuscript. I /might/ be a little bit OCD. Maybe. A little."

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy chuckled. "In my day, we called it 'paying attention' and 'thinking ahead,' not OCD. Not every habit is a bad one, Cindy, and you shouldn't automatically think so."

Silk has posed:
Nodding slowly, Cindy fidgets with the strings of her hoodie. "I was out of the loop for a really long time. For so many years, it was just me...myself. The only one I had to worry about. And now, I feel so shortsighted. I worry all the time that I am gonna fail to consider one little thing that could cost me everything. Or worse...you."

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy reaches to touch Cindy's hand on the desk. "Don't worry about me. I've lasted this long through pluck and luck...I can handle myself. You should watch out for yourself first. If something happened to you because you were worrying about me, how would you be able to help me? You have to just train yourself to be the best Cindy Moon you can be. The rest will take care of itself."

Silk has posed:
"I'm doing that. Or I'm trying. It's easier when you can't forget things. So I think everything through a million different ways before it comes down to the crunch. I can't always think of every possibility. But if I think of enough of them...well, it's easier that way. I have all my options laid out, that way." She takes his hand and squeezes it once gently.

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy nods. "Okay, keep doing that." He picks up his mail, then says, "Looks like I have mail to sort through and papers to grade. What would you like to do now that you're home, Cindy?"

Silk has posed:
Cindy looks around the room, her eyes wide. It is apparent that this is one thing she hasn't considered and thought through from every angle. "I think food is in order. Like real food. Like pizza. Or burgers. Or pizza and burgers. Or...." She looks back at Indy. "What do YOU wanna do now that you're home?"

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy chuckles. "What say you order in while I take a short nap, and then you can help me grade papers while we eat?"

Silk has posed:
Cindy smiles and nods enthusiastically. "Anything you want. That sounds super fun! I'll order. You rest. I'll stand guard. I mean...keep watch. You know what I mean. I'll go take a shower, and get food, and that way when you're awake again we can have a grading party. And...stuff."