17801/Science Conventions and Pleasant Meetings

Science Conventions and Pleasant Meetings
Date of Scene:	28 April 2024
Location:	Lecture Hall - HHCC
Synopsis:	Eve Wilkins and Tim Drake meet at a science convention.
Cast of Characters:	Tim Drake, Eve Wilkins

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Tim Drake has posed:
The Lecture Hall of Happy Harbor is a rather spacious place. Designed to facilitate learning, engagement, and the free exchange of knowledge, it's put into good use today as a science convention has wandered it's way into town. That convention in question? The USA Science & Engineering Festival. While they have taken over the entirety of the school for this special occasion, the majority of the equipment happens to be in this very lecture hall.

The amphitheater-style seating arrangement makes it easy for so many people to see so many different successful experiments all at once, even as sponsors are displayed via projector on the back wall. One of those sponsors being Wayne Enterprises. Who represents such a technological powerhouse? Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne. The young man wears a full black three-piece suit with a silver watch and oxford-style shoes, his hair done up nice and neat as he meanders through the paths between different stands.

He was even a little funny, putting a nametag on the breast of his suit that says 'Hi, my name is Tim'.

Eve Wilkins has posed:
It was the weekend, after all. And while Happy Harbor was a smaller school - it still hosted quite a few events for its students. And Eve Wilkins, interested as she was in advancing her knowledge of chemistry and physics, especially in the quantum realm, was happy to do so. She preferred the smaller energy of Happy Harbor rather than the big schools. Plus, with all the metahumans that attended here, she tended to fit in more.

She was dressed nicely, if modestly, sweater that was a pink bordering on muave worn over an ivory t-shirt, and a skirt a few shades darker than her sweater. Tall socks, and a pair of flats.

"Wayne Enterprises," comes her voice as she approaches that display. "That's in Gotham, right?" she asks. She had a coffee in her hand, that she was occasionally taking a sip from. Her eyes drop down, and back up again. "Tim," she adds. "I'm Sam."

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim seems to be looking at a new polyurthane foam to help better secure building foundations after damage from metahuman conflicts, something that seems to peak Tim's interest at the moment. Though as he looks at it, he hears a voice right next to him. Did he always know she was there or is she just...surprisingly stealthy? Tim turns his head to look at her, meeting her eyes in that moment and coming to a swift understanding that she is a phenomenally beautiful woman.

"Hi." He greets her with a soft smile. "Yeah. In fact, it's pretty much the cornerstone of the city - or at least that's what all the news outlets keep saying." Tim smiles when she notices his name. "Hi Sam. Nice to meet you." He extends his hand for a handshake.

"See anything that interests you here?"

Eve Wilkins has posed:
"The foam," says Eve, her eyes glancing along the information on the chemical structure of the foam. It was Greek to her.

What she seemed to understand was the chemical structure of the foam itself - if there was a sample provided. But chemical mysteries aside, she reaches out her hand to take ahold of Tim's own, her smile bright and cheery, and effortlessly so.

"But nice to meet you. And I haven't been to Gotham much. It seems a kind of city that really... takes care of its own. You hear a lot of negative things in the news, so I'd love to hear something positive about it, and Wayne Industries seems to be that, cornerstone or not," she says with a wink.

"Are you a scientist with them?" she asks, folding her hand back to herself after the handshake. She reaches into her purse, withdrawing a small notepad.

Tim Drake has posed:
"The foam is pretty interesting." Tim remarks with a little bit of tongue and cheek, his hand meeting hers in the spark of greeting between two minds. His demeanor seemed a little more stoic, but no less friendly than Eve's seemingly bright and friendly demeanor. He lifts his shoulders in a light shrug. "Gotham has it's charms. While crime is still high, it's lowering thanks to the efforts of our local Police Department and of course, the efforts of heroes like Batman." he chuckles a moment when she says she'd love to hear something positive about it, Wayne Industries or no.

"Well, I can name a few things. The gothic and old Victorian architecture makes it a historian's delight to visit. Gotham City is also a cultural hub with some of the best food you'll ever have, a direct competitor with New York's own food districts-" He hums in that moment though when Eve asks him if he's a scientist.

"A casual observer. I'm a Jr. Engineer at WayneTech in their R&D department. I love seeing new innovations, maybe even offer a few people a job if they're looking for one. We believe in encouraging brilliant minds to stay brilliant, and sometimes there's no better place to find the next Einstein than at one of these STEM conventions." He smirks at her. "Are you a scientist? Or at least, a Scientific Journalist?" He looks at her notepad and shoots her a playful wink.

Eve Wilkins has posed:
"I think so," says Samantha, her tone light. Her handshake was light, even though she tilts her head when she pulls her hand back. "Heroes, that's a touchy subject these days, or, at least the metahuman question," she says. "As far as I know, Batman and his crew are all human," she says. "Unless you listen to the urban myths that you're probably drowning in," she says, her tone of voice wry.

"I love architecture, too," she says. "Perhaps that'd be worth a visit sometime," she says.

At the last thing he says though, there was a bit of a sheepish look. "I'm an undergraduate," she says. "I took my time going to college, but I think... it's important," she says. "But maybe I wanted to see the world, and work on me a little bit first," she admits.

Tim Drake has posed:
Tim seems to be quite enchanted by Eve so far, judging by the way she seems to have the entirety of his attention. "Heroes have always been a touchy subject. Ever since the splitting of the atom, it feels like. People fear what they don't understand, and at times, if they don't understand that most of the people who fly above us are here to help? Then that's something that might have to change." Tim remarks. "And who knows if the Batman and his crew are all human. They might be supernatural. They might be aliens. They might be a coven of vampires." Just to name off a few. "I've never met them, sadly." Tim lies straight through his teeth, but he's being rather humorous about the whole thing.

"I think that alone is an amazing reason to visit. We also have a pretty good comic-con." He teases her, as though trying to see if she might be more of a nerdy type or if she's more geeky. Either way, that sheepish look she wears when she remarks that she's an undergraduate who's living her life and wanting to see who she was in the meantime.

"Good a reason as any. I took time off from college to try and find myself. I managed to, and I'm all the happier for it. Trust me, seeing the world and working on yourself is at times better than showing the world how smart you are with a piece of paper." He laughs a little bit then.

"So, Sam, what kind of places do you want to go to?"

Eve Wilkins has posed:
    "You'd think they'd be more involved with Wayne Industries, if Wayne Industries is trying to do good in Gotham, but... maybe they're doing something different," says Eve. She laughs at the thought of vampires. "Well, I guess that would explain a few things," she says. "I've heard you don't want to walk around at night in Gotham, so... if there's vampires around, that'd make sense," she says.

"Well, if it's safe enough for nerds, it's probably safe enough for other people," she says.

The question seems to catch her off guard, and she takes a moment to consider it. "I've been all kinds of places by now - Genosha, Africa," she says to Tim. She seems thoughtful. The answer to the question, the real answer, well, it's seen there in a flash of emotion on her face, but she lets that go away, putting on a smile afterwards and answering a little more shallowly.

"I've never been to the west coast. Or Europe. Both those places will probably be pretty great, you know?" she says.

Tim Drake has posed:
"Well, considering that not even politicians are safe from their judgment, they're probably trying to avoid being attached to any singular corporation. If they were, you could make the argument that they're quite biased. Then again, I was never a fan of 'heroes' with a sponsor." Makes their actions less genuine. "And it's true. Considering that Gotham is sadly home to a great many criminals...well, it's safer to travel in the day by far."

He chuckles. "Exactly. And my fellow lovers of numerous fandoms are braver than most." he smirks. But he listens to the places she's been and notices the minute expressions that suggests perhaps some hesitance or lying or just an intent to hide things. He says nothing though and his demeanor is perfectly set to assume nothing.

The masks we wear.

"Well, I happen to have a private jet. Could do some sight seeing if you like."

Eve Wilkins has posed:
The masks we wear indeed.

"I've never thought about that," Eve mentions, bringing a hand up to touch the edge of her lip. "Being attached to a corporation would make things... sticky indeed," says Eve. "Even if you were just helping someplace out. I suppose that's something you don't think about. Just look at Iron Man, I guess. His weapon selling back in the day - even though he did a turnaround, makes things interesting for him, I'd think," she says.

"Are you into the whole nerd fandom?" she asks.

A small smirk, a lift of her lips as he offers the jet. Turns out, she could go places pretty quickly herself.

"Just like that? A ride on a private jet?" she says, leaning back to set her weight on her back heel, tilting her head as she looks to Tim.

Tim Drake has posed:
"It's always the little things, you know? Maybe it's the Gotham City in me. We happen to be a little too analytical about certain details." Tim chuckles somewhat grimly. He watches her hand lift to her lips in thought, learning her tells. He lifts his hand, pointing at her a little bit in good humor. "Exactly. Tie a hero to money, and suddenly they're in bed with politicians and every enemy they ever had knows exactly where they live. It often makes life harder, I would think." Too lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "But, Tony cleaned up his act and used his fortunes for good. So there's give and take there. Just complicates everything is all." He shrugs.

Is he a nerd? "Absolutely. I showed up one year dressed as Robin. They're pretty fun, especially seeing everyone's creativity and ability to design." Tim chuckles.

"Just like that." He confirms. "Of course, that's if you'd like to. I was thinking of taking a tour anyway, and it sounds like a great time. Plus, you're interesting." a little flirt there.

Eve Wilkins has posed:
"And the government... well..." Eve frowns a bit. "They tend not to play by the rules when they get nervous about things," she says. She had personal experience in that, not that she'd ever tell a soul. "I'm not interested in heroes that tie themselves to governments like that - or corporations that think they are like one," she says.

"Like Robin," she says, her tone flat. "Really? That's fun," she says. "I'd probably go as... Wonder Woman or something," she says.

She had one of the worst-guarded secret identities in the world, too. Tim likely already knew she was Atom Eve, or would figure it out as soon as he ran her likeness and name through the computer. But then again, she felt pretty safe with her powers.

"Maybe another day. We are just meeting..." she says.

"And I am, actually, interested in the science advances that Wayne Tech is looking into. I'm interested in chemistry and physics, after all," she says. "And opportunities in STEM? That's interesting," she says.

Tim Drake has posed:
Fun fact: Tim is quite the tech wiz. One of his contacts - which he doesn't need - is actually a retinal scanner that runs identities through the Batcomputer database. He knew exactly who she was the minute she said hello. But of course, that's what happens when you grow paranoid, that's what happens when you live in Gotham: You either know every player at the table or you're the first one gone.

"No government plays by the rules, not even ours. But, well, that's why I'm happy that the world hasn't demanded heroes to align with their respective governments. For the most part, anyway." Tim sighs slightly. That was a whole headache. Though her wish to dress up as Wonder Woman makes him smile.

"Wonder Woman is cool. Whats wrong with Robin?" her flat tone suggesting the choice is a strange one. "I was younger. You know, Boy Wonder?" he'll try not to take it personally.

Shd turns down his idea to explore the world together. "No worries there. Probably a very responsible decision." He tilts his head at her as she suggests an interest in WayneTech. "Do tell." He turns to face her a bit better. "Chemistry and physics. Well, our chemistry department is working with medical to look into healthier GMO applications that improve crops without the typical drawbacks of genetic manipulation, among other projects. Physics has a lot of high-kinetic experimentation going on there and is working closely with our engineering team. Think you might have some passing interest and checking it out?"

Eve Wilkins has posed:
Laughter comes from the young woman, and she gives her head a shake. "Nothing's wrong with Robin, I promise," she says with a wink, scribbling a few notes before tucking the notepad back into her purse.

"Either way - I should get going soon," she says, lifting her hand up to wave farewell. "It was good to meet you though, Tim!" she says. "But yes - I'm interested in exploring opportunities that might make the world... better, rather than worse, and an ethical group, not sure about a company - I'd be interested in exploring internship or something with," she says.

"Before I go, do you have any contact information that I'll need to get in touch with the group with?" she asks.

Tim Drake has posed:
"I sure hope not. That kid's a city treasure." Tim snickers in humor for a moment, his eyes resting on Eve's own for a moment as she announces her departure.

"Probably a good thing, you helped me forget work for a little bit, which I appreciate. And it was good to meet you too! I completely understand that, but just so you can keep in contact-" He reaches into his jacket pocket and produces quite the card. "Here. That has all the information you need on it. Don't be afraid to reach out. We'd love to see your talents at work."

He starts to walk away then, giving her a wave. "Stay safe out there, Sam!"