376/Voices From the Past

Voices From the Past
Date of Scene:	12 May 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Batwoman, Tachyon

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Batwoman has posed:
Today Kate simply texted Meredith a question. It went approximately like so:

Do you ever thing about what people thought about a hundred years ago? I mean. Is History your thing at all?

Right now Kate is sitting in her home dressed comfortable in blue jeans and a simple short sleeved baby doll t-shirt. The leather jacket is hung nearby and she's considering it carefully, blue eyes slightly narrowed. It's early on a saturday evening and ordinarily she would be out doing something. So she sends Meredith a text message or two instead.

Kate types pretty quickly, though she can't keep up with Tachyon by any stretch of the imagination.

"Sometimes I like to get a glimpse of how people saw the world back then. What they pictured their heroes would be like. What do you think?

Tachyon has posed:
Surprisingly it take a bit for Meredith to actually respond. When Kate's phone dings it's a bit of a rambling answer:

'I've thought about how people perceived the world a hundred years ago, or earlier. The phrase "a hundred years ago" is interesting. That precise period was filled with amazing optimism, exuberance and vitality. In just a few years that would all turn to utter despair. History is cyclical, to one degree or another. Sometimes it's hard to discern when a cycle is beginning again.

And I'm not sure if you mean hero as in a person with great powers or a hero as someone to be admired. I don't think you can call people heroes simply because they have abilities they use in the public interest.

In either case I think the answer is pretty obvious. The truly heroic are pure. More pure in the past than they are today, immediacy of information breeds a cynicism that's only grown in our lifetimes.'

Dr. Stinson pauses as she thinks about her answer again before she goes back to work. Still at the laboratory, she's wearing a simple white labcoat over some brown slacks and a white tee. Another glance and she goes back to checking the viscosity and stability of the current batch of colloids.

About thirty seconds later and Kate's phone dings again with another message.

'What's on your mind?'

Batwoman has posed:
"People were actually much more realistic as well," comes the immediate reply, lateral to the question Meredith has asked. Kate shifts her weight on her bed, drawing her knees close to her chest while she observes the phone in front of her.

"There were studies done closer to the turn of the millennium that indicated the radicalized news was so completely warping the perception of the world that people would predict two to ten times the actual levels of violence in their area. Rural people with less news coverage tended to guess correctly about the number of murders and assaults."

It's a good thing that the standard SMS text messaging service is not the one the women are using, otherwise this might be nearly impossible to manage. Their thoughts too long for sending in 160 character chunks. Kate sighs softly, tilting her head slightly as she shifts again, restlessly.

"I was just thinking. And I meant heroes as in people to aspire to, of course. People you want to be because they make your life better."

Kate allows that to settle in for a long moment, maybe fifteen seconds, before starting a continuation.

"I was wondering if you wanted to look at some old radio serials with me. We could listen or, if it's too slow, I have scripts. 'The Shadow' is probably my favourite."

Tachyon has posed:
Dr. Stinson sighs and adjusts the aperture on the field emitter again. The woman manages to not notice her elbow getting to close to a coil and starts when the heavy leather jacket she's wearing starts to sizzle. She pulls back a bit and sighs. She's in a completely different outfit now. All natural fibers; jeans a tank top, over it is a heavy welder's leather jacket. Pulling off the welding gloves she was wearing she pulls down her goggles to check the adjustments. Not too terrible.

'The Shadow's fun, so is Captain Midnight or Crime Doctor.' The next text reads.

Meredith stands outside the test chamber as the apparatus powers up. A double check on the readouts as it cycles on. There's a steady hum for several seconds before a disappointing bwoo and then some sparks. The machine automatically powers down. Meredith makes a note for the morning and glances at a clock.

'Tonight? I have a half hour before the kitties will be desperate.'

Batwoman has posed:
'Okay. Half an hour then.'

Kate waits a few seconds before hitting send, staring up at the comptuer she keeps in her room. Ultimately she reaches outand hits a button, swapping to the speaker system set up in the living room before coming to her feet. Kate takes a deep breath as she walks out to the table, hands buriedi n her pockets, a finger over the send button. The response takes a minute or so in total.

Kate adds, 'Door's unlocked.'

Then Katherine finally sends the text. The intro for the drama in question is already keying up as she runs herfingers through her hair, brushing it back from her face. There's already a pitcher of lemonade out on the table and a few well iced cans of soda. Snacks as well. Just in case; preparation is key in situations like these. The redhead regards it all thoughtfully and nods, once.

Tachyon has posed:
A few minutes after Kate finishes her prep there's a knock at the door. Meredith is standing there in a pair of yoga pants and a white tee, a (very) tattered black hoodie thrown on over. "Sorry about taking so long. There was this weird mutation in the chlorophyll of one of the latest samples. Like things were going way past forest green straight into black and it, well, nevermind." She grins and ducks her head inside unless Kate stops her.

The blonde lets out a low whistle as she takes in the interior of Kate's pad. "Swaaaanky. Geeze, having money doesn't suck, does it?" The girl grins and gives the red head a little wave before going in for a one armed half-hug.

No matter how it's received her attention immediately travels to the snack tray as she ooohs and looks around again, one foot slowly inching in the direction of the available food.

Batwoman has posed:
The hug is returned easily and then Kate looks around, shrugging. "This is actually restrained. They keep trying to sell you chandeliers for everything," Kate admits, shaking her head. She's smiling a bit, watching as her friend is inching toward the table of snacks. A beat. "They're for you, you know. Goofball." Then Kate laughs and moves over to the table to snag a handful of chips before they vanish.

Once this is done Kate moves to the speakers and hits a button. The rumbling, slightly raspy tone of an old record committed to electronic media soon follows. "It's good to see you. You've been working prety hard recently, hmm?" Of course, Kate was busy as well. Incredibly busy. In fact, she still has the bruises. There are a lot of them...Concealer helps, as does clothing that doesn't reveal much skin.

"I was just on this kick wondering what really constitutesahero. You seemed like a goodperson to ask. At least as good as anyone, at least." Blue eyes study Meredith intently. "Besides, it's an excuse to hang out."

Tachyon has posed:
There's a laugh from Meredith at the chandeliers comment. But she's over by the snacks in a flash, pretty well literally. There is so restraint as she lets Kate have her way with the chip bowl. The next moment though, Meredith is on the couch crosslegged. She's poking at the entire crudités platter she's picked up and placed in her lap.

"Good to see you too. The hours are pretty rough at work, yeah." Meredith speaks in between baby carrot bites as she steadily works on the veggie platter. If she's noticed the bruises she's not saying anything at the moment.

"What's got you on the kick about heroing? Did you get a bimmer smashed by Superman? Cause I'm sure he would have a good reason for doing it if he did." She idly sucks ranch of a finger dunked directly into the dip before going back after the brocolli, "even it's just that the bad guy punched too fast to dodge."

Batwoman has posed:
"I live in Gotham. Superman's always busy in Metropolis or Star City," Kate responds wrily. "No, I'm not looking for anyone to blame for anything," she continues, shaking her head. "Just- thiking back a little bit. I wanted to be hero. That's why I joined the Marines originally..." She pauses, reaching up torub her right arm lightly around where Meredith would likely remember her Nautical Star tattoo resides.

"Right out of a Chemistry degree. Not what most people do, right? But it ended up being a decent fit." Kate watches as Meredith is working through the veggies, head tilted slightly. She seems to be content with this state of affairs. "Besides, I haven't pulled these out in forever. 'Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of man?'" Then there's that sly grin and Kate sits down on the couch next to Meredith.

"And it's alright if you want to talk about work. I can probably follow- most of it," Kate continuing, winking when she does. Then Kate settles in, licking her lips lightly as her expression becomes more solemn and she takes a deep breah. "Not a lot of people are familiar with these old shows anymore. I'm not surprised you are, but..."

Tachyon has posed:
"Well yeah," Meredith concedes, "But he totally gets around. Like I'm not surprised if I see him in Germany or Jamaica." She noms on more veggies for a bit before moving to grab a soda. A bit of a stretch and she sighs, "Did you want me to dim the lights?" Another small smile as she adds, "ambience and all that."

Another small sigh and she hops back up onto the couch, curling up again, this time remembering to take off her shoes. Unpainted toes wiggle idly as she shrugs and thinks. "Being a hero isn't all its cracked up to be. There isn't anything about it other than trying to not compromise what you want while trying to do what everyone expects. Like," she pauses, "fer serious, should I be fighting a rampaging mutant hellbeast in Seattle or trying to find a cure for cancer?"

Batwoman has posed:
"He does. I mean, he's visited a couple of times. Just not when there's an army of crazies out taking over the city and planting nukes beneath City Hall. No superman then. It's up to people who have to walk everywhere to save the city. That's just how Gotham is." Kate shrugs her shoulders then and take a deep breath in a careful, measured way. She glances down at her own toes briefly, then to Meredith's as she tilts her head.

"They're both important. I mean, you could say that stopping the mutant hellbeast is more important right now but if you focus on all the immediate problems no one will ever cure cancer," she muses, tilting her head when she does. "You have to choose for yourself in the end. No one's going to figure it out for you. And if anyone says you're less of a hero for choosing one or the other you were better off without them on your side trying to run your life.

"I think youdo a pretty amazing job with what you have to work with."

Tachyon has posed:
Meredith shrugs and nibble on some celery, having cleared the tray aside from it and the dread mini tomatoey nodules of doom. "Thanks. I'm not really looking for approval on stuff. Not that it's not nice to hear. But you just gotta move in a kick ass and hope it looks good afterwards. Try your best and all that, right?"

The blonde grins as she adds, "Had a professor back when I was twel--thirteen who was really into radio dramas. Kinda crazy for an English Lit guy, but that's what he was into." She shrugs. "You thinking about funding some expansions for the GPD or something?"

Batwoman has posed:
"Money poured into the GPD has a habit of just disappearing," Kate responds drily but then she nods a couple times. "I've already done a bit of that actually. But the whole thing is amess. And with the new Commissioner there's no way I'm handing them a penny." Kate shakes her head once, glancing across the room to take it all in at once.

"There's more food if you're planning on working up an appetite, by the way." Kate is smiling quietly. She's relaxed, moreso than usual. She always seems to be keenly aware of her surroundings but the slight tension is... Gone. "Thanks. I've been stuck on this one all day for some reason. Maybe I was just thinking back to that bank robbery. I mean, not that I needed to do anything heroic unless you count texting at the speed of sound."

Tachyon has posed:
There's a shrug from Meredith as she sips her soda, half listening to ongoing adventures of the Shadow. "Well, you've got the influence. Get onto the DA and start working the political side if you want to change things." Another slurp of soda, rather indelicate that, and she adds "but you did fine at the bank. People with guns you don't want to mess with. Unless you're packing and you're willing to kill all three, well there's just too much chance of someone on the sidelines getting hurt. As far as I know they weren't going to hurt anyone, best to let them get away and let the police deal with it. Not worth risking your life or anyone else's."

Batwoman has posed:
"That's true. No one needed to get hurt. I don't think they got all that far. Not in the middle of Metropolis... I dont' really know what those guys were thinking. Kate is listening as well, even if she is subtle about it. She relaxes into her couch slowly. "I've been leaning on things here and there. Most of the influence belongs to my stepmother, though. Not me, as much. And she's too busy running the corporation to be here, dealing with this." Kate makes a face. "But you know." Then she arches a brow and waits a beat before adding in a playful tone, "Anyway. Did I grab enough food? I know you work up a crazy appetite running all the way out here."

Tachyon has posed:
"Yer," the blonde replies. She idly puts the tray to the side and stretches out her legs. "There's a pretty decent chicken place between my lab and here. I phoned em and they're cool with me running through and grabbing some thighs on my way by. Good biscuits too! But yeah. That whole thing at the bank," the blue eyed girl blinks and shrugs, "don't feel like you gotta do more than you do. I'd rather some robbers get away than have someone nice and innocent get killed."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate smiles faintly at Meredith's words, her expression one of relative relaxation. She takes a deep breath, holds it for a beat, and then exhales. Slowly. "I might know the place you mean. Actually, I love chicken and biscuits. Small confession." She shrugs then, flexing her hand as she spreads her fingertips outward. Blue eyes shift over to meet Meredith's for a moment and then Kate nods once. "The most important thing is that everyone is safe," She agrees mildly then. There's an intensity behind her azure gaze that somewhat belies the relaxed manner with which she presents herself.

"Don't worry. I won't do anything more than I have to do."

Tachyon has posed:
Meredith purses her lips in some small disapproval for that phrasing, but keeps her comments to herself. She slips into quiet contemplation of the dark justice meted out on the radio serial. In between gunshots and dramatic exposition there are sudden slurps of soda. Occasionally the loud crunch of a chip. After a bit though, the woman's watch dings. A holographic display pops up, showing a flat screen of a surveillance camera that must be on the floor. Two chubby and frankly huge looking cats are mewing and batting at the camera apparently. "Well, that's my cue."

Batwoman has posed:
"They're adorable. Tell me I can meet them sometime," Kate replies, eyeing the hologram that pops up. She laughs softly then and nods her head a couple times before rising to her feet. "I would let you out but you'll be gone before I reach the door. Just come visit again sometime. I'll text you in a bit." Kate smiles more warmly this time and then moves to hug Meredith tightly, just for a second. "You keep safe too. Just in case."

Tachyon has posed:
Meredith gives a thumbs up and a cheeky smile at the visitation comment. She's pulled out a pair of silver discs and is attaching them to her temples when she gets hugged. There's a pause as the discs attach and then she gives Kate a warm, if awkward one armed hug in response. "Yeah, no prob. Let me know when you want to stop by." There's a zip and Meredith's pink visor pops into existence. A few moments for shoes and the girl is gone in a blur. All alone, in the dim light, the Shadow continues to play in the background.