6884/Quantum State

Quantum State
Date of Scene:	11 July 2021
Location:	Ava's Warehouse Apartment
Synopsis:	Ava and Finley figure out what their next step is in building a machine to help Ava. Then, it's off to the bar.
Cast of Characters:	Ava Starr, Finley Ellison

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Ava Starr has posed:
It's been long enough since the incident at the Triskelion, and subsequent stopover at SHIELD, that Ava's abilities have finally returned to normal. She's still in constant pain, of course. And her quantum seizures still occur with alarming regularlity. But, between her QEC and the Ghost suit, she's largely able to keep going. Indeed, she doesn't particularly feel she has a choice.

You don't find a cure by sleeping your days away.

She's even given Finley access to the site enough that she can come and go at will. She's answered all the questions she asked -- albiet some more tersely than others -- and let the SHIELD agent play with all the research she's done over the years. That's led to the construction of an energy detector that's currently only half complete, with the hope it will be able to isolate the specific frequency of quantum particle Ava may need to stablize her molecular cohesion.

The machine takes up a good portion of the far end of the loft, just beyond the QEC, where Ava had housed all her research before now. The living area has been condensed some to allow for the expansion of the project. And there's even been some shoji screens set up to provide both women with separate, private spaces where they can rest without having the other in their face.

In short, it's a workable arrangement, if not the best for a long-term situation.

Currently, Ava is dressed in a worn grey henley and black yoga pants. Her hair is damp from a recent shower, and she's hunting through the fridge for something half decent to eat before she decides just what her subsequent priorities may be.

Finley Ellison has posed:
At some point, Finley had brought in a cot for herself. She'd felt too guilty about commandeering the couch. So behind the screens, she has her small bag of necessities under the cot, a tiny bedside table with a lamp and too many books, and just enough space to isolate as is needful. Honestly, she's had worse roommates, and more stressful living conditions. And she's tried to spend the few hours they can spare from the work out at a coffee shop, or at least on the lower floor of the loft.

Of course, she has to check in with SHIELD sometimes too -- though her mission reports have been lacking in detail. Something she's sure will get her into trouble eventually. But a promise is a promise. And making efforts to repair Ava's trust in the organization is just as important to the dedicated scientist.

So dedicated in fact that Finely is asleep at her desk, the largest mug in the place wrapped in her hand, coffee cooling, but still tepid. The hood of her sweatshirt has fallen over her head, tendrils of hair escaping from underneath. Her glasses, pushed off kilter by the pillow of her forearm, are crooked on her face. She's drooling slightly on the latest schematics.

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava passes by the desk on her way from the bathroom to the kitchen at the far end. She pauses briefly to study the sleeping blond before she carefully extracts that mug from the woman's fingers and takes it with her to the kitchen. There, she sticks it in the microwave to warm for a moment or two while she busies herself with making a cup of tea.

She's British. Coffee is a cop out.

Finley Ellison has posed:
Finley stirs slightly as the mug is removed from her hand, like a small child whose favorite toy has been removed form her unconscious grip. But when the microwave dings, she wakes, head popping up abruptly. She looks around with groggy concern. "Mmmmm?"

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava sets the electric kettle on to boil and takes a mug down from her small cupboard, dumping a simple round teabag into it. Then, as the microwave dings, she moves to it, pops the door open, and grabs the mug within. Silently, she pads back towards the desk and puts it down where it had been before -- albeit this time with the blonde having changed positions somewhat. "Good sleep?" she asks, a dark brow arched dryly.

Finley Ellison has posed:
"I was asleep? Oh," Finley looks down to see the obvious tell-tale signs, "I guess I was asleep." She yawns, arching her back slightly. Then she takes the mug with both hands, and looks up with a warm smile, "Thanks. Sorry about drifting off."

Ava Starr has posed:
"You looked like you were asleep," Ava says, with a mild shrug. She doesn't point out the drool spot on the schematics. "So, yes." She shakes her head briefly. "Don't worry about it. It's not like I was doing anything." She flicks the edge of the cup with a fingernail so it rings briefly. "Warmed it up for you."

Then she hears the kettle click and knows it's time to pour the water out for her tea. She gives Fin a brief smile and retreats across the space to do just that.

Finley Ellison has posed:
Finley takes a grateful sip of the once again hot coffee. And then stretches. Her body complains about the uncomfortable sleeping position. She makes a noise.

"Oh, ow," she mutters to herself. *Desks are not for sleeping, Finley.* She stands, because standing feels better than sitting, and has some more coffee. And blinks. "Thanks," she says. "About the coffee, I mean."

Ava Starr has posed:
"You're welcome," Ava says, picking up her mug without removing the bag. It needs time to steep still, but she doesn't want to stand around the kitchen with it. She moves back toward the research area, though she pauses at the edge of the cluster of more comfortable furniture and flops unceremoniously in one of the arm chairs there. Her cup swings in her hand as she moves automatically to make sure it doesn't spill. She's successful. Finally, she puts the cup down on a makeshift table beside her. "What were you looking at before you fell asleep?"

Finley Ellison has posed:
Coming into the now very condensed living room to join Ava, Finley rubs her eyes behind her glasses, careful not to spill her reheated coffee. "A, um, micro particle detector. I'm hoping it'll be able to sift though a lot of the quantum noise. Since we'll be searching for a very specific energy signature, and I'm concerned that it might be obscured by the flux."

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava nods to that. For a non-scientist/non-engineer, she understands way too much about all of that. "Do you think we'll be able to catch enough to make a difference?" It's a rare moment of vulnerability. But given the way she's holding her shoulders -- a telltale sign that the pain has been building for a while -- it's perhaps not as much of a surprise as it could be. Slowly, she's learning to trust the scientist who has been working so diligently on the problem. It's a process.

Finley Ellison has posed:
"It's out there," Finley says. "We just have to find it. If it didn't exist, you wouldn't either."

She blinks and bites her lip. *Damnit, Finley, that was insensitive.* "Sorry. I'm sorry. I mean. Yes, I think our work will make a difference for you. We've already seen that the process can be reversed too far in the other direction. So we'll find your happy medium, Ava. We're going to figure this out."

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava nods and even gives the woman what passes for a somewhat amused smile on her lips. Truthfully, the idea that she is living proof her cure exists isn't something she'd ever really considered. It's more helpful a statement than Finley realizes. "So... what have you go so far? Do we need to collect anything more?" She can steal it after all.

Finley Ellison has posed:
"A few specialized processing chips," Finley admits. "I can ask work for them, I think. I may have to modify or design something instead though."

She sits down on the sofa, curling her legs under her. "How are you?" she asks. She's finally cognizant enough to notice those tell-tale signs of pain present in the tension of Ava's body.

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava gives that same mild shrug she usually uses when she's downplaying things. (And she downplays things a lot.) "Fine. Same as always. Shouldn't need a recharge for another couple of hours." That's the best she can say at the moment. Though, for her, it's not actuall a bad day. It's just a regular day.

She returns to the topic of the chips and the machine. "There's a fabricator downstairs, I think. I suppose it's out of date, but maybe it can be brought up to snuff."

Finley Ellison has posed:
"That might be really useful," Finley says, already imagining the potential of designing her own circuit boards. "Do you..." she starts, trying to consider Ava's comfort. But she realizes that she doesn't have any good suggestions. There's nothing that she can do to help, other than ensure that this project succeeds. "...nevermind," she finishes, lamely.

Ava Starr has posed:
"Do I what?" the Englishwoman replies, a brow arching faintly as her head cants. She reaches for her tea now and blows across the top of the liquid's surface before she takes a sip. "Know how to fix it? Not particularly. But I can find out. Or bring someone in to try." All under the guise of starting up a new business or something, of course. The woman *can* play the spy game when she chooses.

Finley Ellison has posed:
"If we can find a contractor, that would save me time," Finley says. She should be able to fix the machine herself, but shouldn't allow herself to get distracted. Just because she can, doesn't mean that's the best use of her time. And she's grateful that Ava took hr wandering thoughts in a useful direction.

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava nods simply. "I can get it done." She takes another sip of her tea. "Leave off it for a bit, anyway," she tells her. "There's no sense falling asleep over the plans. I'm not going to die today, anyway." She doesn't think so, anyway.

Finley Ellison has posed:
"That's good," Finley says. "We're not prepared for that." She takes another sip of coffee. "What do you want for dinner? Since you're not dying, we should probably figure out what to eat."

Ava Starr has posed:
"You want to order in again?" Ava asks. "Or, I know a pretty good bar up in Harlem, if you want to get out of the house." She wonders if that nurse still turns up there. Probably. Doesn't mean she'll bump into her.

Well, nevermind.

"They've got access to really good food." Via the restaurant next door. It's weird. Don't ask. "And decent IPAs on tap."

Finley Ellison has posed:
Finley smiles. "Let's go then. That sounds really good. And it'll be nice to get out for a bit." She looks down at the grubby sweats she fell asleep in. "I just need to change. And maybe do something with my hair?"

Ava Starr has posed:
Ava nods again. "Go change," she says. "I should do that, too." At least put on a pair of jeans rather than yoga pants. And, since it's summer, she may want a t-shirt rather than the henley.

She pulls herself out of her chair and heads toward her privacy screen to do just that. By the time one is done, the other should be, too. Then... Luke's bar awaits.