8790/Coffee and Goddesses

Coffee and Goddesses
Date of Scene:	23 November 2021
Location:	Starling City Coffee
Synopsis:	Oliver gives Zaya a ride back to NYC.
Cast of Characters:	Oliver Queen, Zaya Abdelkader

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Oliver Queen has posed:
A lazy day in Delaware. Oliver has apparently taken the day off from his usual duties and taken up residence -- of sorts -- in the local coffeehouse. It's a sunny day at least, and Oliver is sitting outside at a table in front of the cafe, drinking from a very large mug of coffee and occasionally tapping away at his phone. It is quiet on the street. Only the sound of a bus pulling up to the nearby bus stop disturbs the atmosphere.

His phone rings, and Oliver picks it up, makes a few short comments into it, and then sighs quietly and stands from where he was sitting. The phone goes in his pocket, the coffee cup is drained of its last drops, and it looks like the man is about to walk back into the shop to drop it off.

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
It was a quick trip to DC. Discussions were had in person about sending some artifacts to New York City and Zaya was sent by her supervisor to persoanlyl inbspect the items. Thus, back on the bus she went with her mission accomplished. It was not long before the bus had pulled into Deleware for a quick stop to pick up more passengers? What route did she take anyways? Not a long stop, but enough time for a coffee. She had not really slept and she needed a quick fix.

Exiting the bus, the young half-Egyptian girl makes her way into the coffee shop beside the bus station, seemingly speaking ot herself. "What? No. There are other ways." She shakes her head back and forth and pulls the hood down on her hoodie, letting herp onytail free. Steps take her up to the counter and she stares at the menu, nibbling her lower lip. "Yeah. Black it is."

Oliver Queen has posed:
Oliver Queen is, if nothing else, courteous. He holds the door open for Zaya as she walks in, and catches just the end of whatever it is she's saying to herself. "There are? I suppose, but I don't think this is quite the setting to be blowing the door off the hinges..." he comments offhandedly as she passes by. The man considers her from behind as he stands in line, apparently thinking about getting another cup himself.

"Hers, and mine too Joe." Oliver finally says after Zaya makes her order. "And, no, I insist, don't think of it, it's the absolute least I can do, you look exhausted and are talking to yourself. And...are taking a Greyhound on the worst route to NYC. So, yes, I can buy you a coffee at the very least. Something to eat too? I suggest the scones. Raspberry ones are really good today."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
Zaya turns and blinks a few times at the man who had held the door for her. Did he just offer to buy her coffee and something to eat? Slowly she puts her small wallet back into her sweatshirt pocket, nodding sloy and responding in a soft-spoken tone. "Um. If you insist then I am not one to argue." Her eyes drift to the display and the afformentioned scones, nodding slowly. "Okay. Raspberry scone it is." She drifts her attention now to the man fully. "Thank you. It has been a long few days."

She raises a hand to tuck a strand back behind her ear, taking that same gloved hand and extending it to him. "Zaya. I figure if you are going to buy my breakfast the least I can do is tell you my name."

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Is this your breakfast? You don't need just a scone, get whatever you want. Seriously." Oliver replies to her, before he gives her a smile, "It's always been a long few days. I suspect you'll be riding this bus again in a few days, or a plane, off to somewhere else. Everyone is always so busy these days..." He says, trailing off a bit into his own thoughts for a moment.

When he returns to earth, he says, "It's a pleasure to meet you Zaya. Oliver Queen," as he holds out a hand for her to take. "And, if you need to rest a bit you're more than welcome. I could use the company, and another bus will be along soon enough." And, as he says that, the bus that pulled up...has pulled out. Apparently taking Zaya's wandering into the coffee shop as a sign that she's here to stay. Oliver winks and adds, "Rookie mistake. Joe gets more business than you'd believe with kids hopping off the bus to get something quick, and the bus taking off without them."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
There is a visible slump of her shoulders when the bus pulls away. A soft sigh escapes her and she slings her backpack onto the floor beside an open chair. "Well don't have a choice now, do I." A small laugh escapes her and she gestures to the table, taking the black coffee and scone off the counter with a nod to server. "I am hoping this is the last trip for a while. Was just arranging for the details of an exhibit coming to New York soon. I am a curator of the Egyptology for the Metropolitan Museum of Art."

She slumps down into the chair with a casual demeanor, raising the black coffee to her lips and taking a small sip. "And what brings you to this fine dining establishment? Or is this where the locals choose to hang out and meet people off the buses?" Her brow raises and she hides a slight smie behind the cup.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Usually the arrivals off the buses aren't nearly so alluring, or...interesting. Metropolitan Museum of Art you say? How long have you had that position? You don't look much older than college age." Oliver replies, before he pulls up a chair. "And, I'd hope it's not the last trip for a while. You'll miss...all..the...beauty of...uh...the Chesapeake." The Chesapeake is thirty miles away, in the opposite direction that the Cafe faces.

Oliver settles in and answers her question more directly, "I'm here because it beats another day in the office, and the sun isn't right for my practice just yet. I've taken an interest in archery and..well...I want to work on shooting with the sun in my face as opposed to my back. You never know when that'll happen in a competition. And it's a quiet enough coffee shop I can still get some work done, while occasionally meeting interesting people, and buying them drinks."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
Zaya smirks and raises her brow once more. "Your words are most flattering Mr. Queen. It is the first complement I have received today." She lowers the coffee to the table once more and leans back in her chair, watching him a moment before softly speaking again. "I have connections Mr Queen. The position was mine before I graduated. And to be honest, I could use some time in one place for a while. Travelling is not all people make it out to be in my mind."

Her fingers begin to idly pick at the scone, gloves still on. A piece is broken off and she places it in her mouth chewing it slowly before speaking again. "Archery? I must say I have handled an Egpytian bow, but have never fired one." She shrugs. "One must be prepared for anything, you are most correct there. What type of work do you do? Let me guess...insurance. And I am a few moments away from you tryin gto extend my cars warranty?"

Oliver Queen has posed:
"I have an Egyptian bow in my collection if you'd like to remedy that oversight. I am a bit of a collector since I've caught the bug." Oliver replies, before he smiles just a little at Zaya's question. "No. I am not in insurance. I am the CEO of Queen Industries." As he says this, he takes a sip of his coffee, to gauge the woman's reaction. He seems to know what might be coming next.

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
Well that was not expected. I mean she had sort of made a small connection when he introduced himself, but she was not about to make the leap to the CEO of Queen Industries. "Really? Well I do not feel so bad about you paying for my coffee and scone now. Wow." She takes another sip of the coffee and repeats herself, a quizical expression. "Really? Wow."

Her eyes study him a moment and she then resumes. "Yu have a working Egyptian bow? Well that warrants a viewing. I am curious as to what dynasty it stems from. Sorry, a bit of an Egyptology nerd. Well I was born in Cairo afterall."

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Yes. Really. And, I am afraid it's not an authentic dynasty aged bow. Those are...much more difficult to acquire and even if I had one I'd rather not use it for fear of breaking it. Mine is a rather more modern reproduction, though made of the same material from the same craftsmen, to the same specifications. About as close as you can get to the real thing these days." Oliver replies. He then adds, "Yes. I am really who I say I am. I can call my car and show you if you'd like?" he asks, a bit of a mischevious gleam in his eye.

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
She seems relieved that he is bot actually firing an authentic bow. I mean she did not think that was the case, but nevertheless he had an Egyptian bow replica. "Authentic or not, I am sure it a lovely piece. There were highly effective and geared for mobile firing." She stops her lesson and reaches for the coffee." It is then that her attention is drawn to the corner of the coffee shop and she simply stares, saying no word. When her attention comes back to Oliver she asks. "This place has been open for a while huh?"

She takes another small sip and looks to him quizically. "Oh I believe you. You have given me no reason to not. You want me to ride in your car?" She blinks once and murmurs to herself. "Thanks I know." Again she looks back to him. "What kind of car?"

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Uh...yes..it has...twenty years this last January." Oliver replies, before looking over to the corner where her attention seems to go. "And, yes, they were. Though I prefer a good Mongolian to be honest if I'm going to be somewhere cramped and need to move quickly. It feels a little....stronger? Not quite the word, but stopping power isn't quite it either." He then chuckles at the question, "What kind of car? Uh, my driver is currently in the towncar, but I can get a limo or a Lambo or anything in between if you'd like?"

The muttering to herself seems to catch Oliver's attention, and he doesn't comment on it this time, but it's clear he's taken note. He leans back in his chair, and takes a long sip of his coffee, considering the girl, before he asks, "The necklace you wear, that's an Egyptian goddess on there, right?"

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
"It has been open longer than that. Or the building has been here longer." She does not explain why she thinks that. Nevemrind that she saw a man dressed like he was from the fifties sitting with a newspaper." More of the scone is picked up and idly put into her mouth, it is clear she is going to pick at it. "Never been one for fancy cars. If it cannot cross a desert it is useless in my eyes."

At the mention of the necklace, her fingers reach up and grasp the token on the simple leather cord. Once more she tilts herhead as if she is listening to something. "Yes. You have a perceptive eye. Nephthys if you know anything about her. I found it in a Temple near Herakleopolis. I never take it off." Another sip of coffee is taken. "Are you familiar?"

Oliver Queen has posed:
"WRX it is then." Oliver replies, before he taps a few keys on his phone. He then shakes his head at her question, "No. Not particularly. I only asked because I recognized the symbol from a tour I took of the pyramids some years ago. Goddess is what I was told. Fertility maybe? I don't really remember much beyond that to be honest. Which, I am sure is making your nerd senses tingle and go wild. Please, remedy my ignorance about her." Oliver replies before he takes another long sip of his drink.

While Zaya is educating him, a emerald green car pulls up outside. A man in a suit gets out, and walks away from it, leaving it running.

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
Zaya folds her gloved hands on the table and shakes her head with a smile. "Close. There are many things she represents, more so childbirth than fetility itself, among other apsects. I encourage you to look her up sometime. There are plenty of texts." She pauses and then caves a bit. "Oh I guess I can tell you a bit more. It is a symbol of protection. She is a Goddess of Protection." Nevemrind all the other stuff. It is not something he needs to know. He may start asking more questions as to why she wears it.

As the car pulls up she once more quirks her brow, looking to the car and then back to him. Back to the car once more and then to him. "Your ride is here?"

Oliver Queen has posed:
"It is. Where would you like to go?" He asks, grinning just a bit. "And, if it's a symbol of protection, is that why you wear it?" Of course he'd still ask that question, he's curious. And he finds this interesting. He stands up, adding, "Seriously. Anywhere on Earth. Where?" He takes his empty coffee cup over to the counter and sets it there. Joe shakes his head at him, "She could be a serial killer." "Yeah, I doubt that Joe." Oliver replies, and then walks back to Zaya, "So, where will it be? I can get you to an airport and put you on a charter to NYC if that's what you want."

Zaya Abdelkader has posed:
"It is. Should a person not want a bit of protection in this world? I think we can use all we can get." She takes a long sip of the coffee and slowly rises from the chair, reachibng down to grab her backpack. Making her way to the counter she sets the coffee mug down and smiles to Joe. "I could be. You best read the paper tomorrow and find out." She turns back to Oliver and nods once. "Right. Well I do have to get back to New York relatively soon. Hence the bus that left. Now how I get there, frankly I don't care."

Oliver Queen has posed:
"New York City it is. And a jet I think is probably best. If you don't mind me coming along, I have business there as well. Something with stocks to take over the board or some such. It's all Greek to me to be honest..." Oliver says as he leads Zaya to the waiting car. He opens the door, holding it for her, and then once she's in, walks over to his side, hops in, buckles up, and heads off towards the private rich person airport where his charter is waiting.