9563/Marking the Land

Marking the Land
Date of Scene:	10 January 2022
Location:	Dane Hills
Synopsis:	Lorna and Paris talk over some soil samples. Lorna offers a plot of land, Paris swears fealty to Queen Dane.
Cast of Characters:	Paris Bennet, Lorna Dane

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Paris Bennet has posed:
Just outside of the Dane Hills development projects, there is still quite a lot of land. Room for growth as it were. A highway skirts the beachfront with roads branching off allowing the construction crews access to the other ongoing sites. Urbanization and settlement reconstruction are ongoing at an almost blistering pace, especially now with refugees flowing in and in need of new homes.

Just a scant few miles outside of the city, but still in sight of them, a spectacle is underway. This one is purely incidental, as none other than Exodus is taking a breather from it all. He's been involved in relocation efforts where his powers of telekinesis are of greatest benefit. Crates and conexes are nigh insubstantial to him, allowing him to almost single handedly offload cargoplanes and choppers. After a certain point though, even he needs to step back from it all.

It's mostly a crowding issue for him.

The spectacle underway, which can be witnessed for some distance, are lines of light across the hills. Like walls of transluscent illumination running for acres in geometric patterns. A rectangle here, a circle there, all within the context of a vast parcel over the rolling hills...all the while he himself is crouched in midair by the highway.

Lorna Dane has posed:
The crunch of highway gravel beneath the heels of her boots, the near silence of the approaching forest broken by the occasional outcropping of hill, or field, was a pleasant sound that Lorna hadn't many chances to indulge in lately. She could leave behind the noise for awhile. Heavy leather gloves are worn along with jeans, and a t-shirt that was stained in parts with smudges of dirt. It almost made her blend in with the surroundings given her green hair. Held firm in hand is a shovel and the other is a metallic container with a handle. Not a bucket, but something similar seeming.

Lorna pauses when she spot the series of lights as well as the familiar figure of Paris standing not far off. Curious she alters her course toward him a bit. "Sir Bennet. Lovely day isn't it?"

Paris Bennet has posed:
Eyes illuminated such that they are almost white briefly train towards her as he lifts a hand in greeting from off of his knee before uncurling his legs from the unseen platform to stand at Lorna's approach. He folds his arms loosely over his barrel chest then, and with a twinkling of his energies the lights are dismissed with a vast sizzling like bacon on a fryer. The sound echoes over the distance as the walls of light dissipate.

Paris greets in his deep french colored tones,"Votre Altesse, always pleasant making your acquaintance. What brings you so far afield?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane watches the way he shifts allowing his powers to settle with only a glance to the side to watch as they dissapate. Her head inclines politely in response to his greeting. The too-long bucket is lifted up in hand to show it off at his question. The shovel remains in her other hand by her side. "Indulging in a bit of field work related to my chosen profession." Turning her head toward the unbroken parts of land, she explains, "Before buildings are built these days they require a land survey to assure the ground is solid. Make sure there's no sandstone or other faults that may cause issues in years to come."

The sharp-bottomed bucket is let loose from her grasp as her fingers simply release it to the hold of her powers. Magnetics. It floats further out to a relatively open area as she watches with a keen eye. "To do that, I need a boring sample of the earth." Her hand holds out and with a downward flick of her wrist the object plunges into the ground. Loud. Sharp. Yet she had complete control over it feeling it go into the ground beneath.

"Yourself? What brings you here today? It seems a bit further than your usual work."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Heavy brows knit as he appreciates the subtle control over the instruments. Refined delicacy is displayed with the transition from positioning to sudden downward thrust, and not so forcefully as to send it further than necessary. He nods appreciably at this,

Paris turns to face her at this point, shrugging broadly as he considers an appropriate response to the question. He ultimately opts with the plain explanation,"Taking a break from my duties. I haven't been gone long, has something happened?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
"No, you're fine. I was merely curious and making conversation." Lorna offers a reassuring smile toward him only with a small shake of her haed at his apparent concern. For a moment she shifts her gaze away. It was her turn for her eyes to shift white. Not completely, but she was focusing. Once it was down deep into the Earth she had to focus more. There was no metal in the ground though. Not after her father had stripped it all. That one little boring drill was so easy to keep track of. A small rotation, and she flips her hand back up the other way.

The tool withdraws with dirt and rock clinging to it. Some falls off, the rest remains inside as it floats back toward her to lay down by her feet. She crouches and begins to work the core out leaving the various strata of the stone and dirt on view. "Before I was a Queen. Before I was much of anything, this is what I did. I'm a Geologist. Right now Genosha could afford one but at the same time..." Her shoulder shrugs slightly. "There's no need to use money that could be used to put a roof over the head of another family or food on a table. It just takes a little more footwork from me."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Paris watches curiously at the work underway, his mind whirring as he tries to divine the purpose of this exercise. He asks after a few beats,"And what does Genosha profit by...geology?"

He's struggling not to admit that he doesn't actually know what geologists do in the first place! He's only just caught himself up to speed with the reckoning of the Pythagorean Theorem, and that was no mean accomplishment on his part. Letters were a big thing in his day, numbers on the other hand more of a specialty abstract. Geology on the other hand was almost not even a discipline. The only reason to cleave the earth is if one is a farmer, to his thinking. Clearly this isn't so, so he adds after another moment's consideration,"And what are you divining from this dirt?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane gestures for Paris to come closer as she crouches. "Here, come look. I'll show you," she encourages as she works carefully on her prize. The metallic sleeve is pulled away leaving the elongated core out on the ground. The highway tarmac was suitable to keep it all together. "You know how to tell the age of a tree I presume? By counting the rings in the wood after it's cut? It's similar with the dirt. Layers, here, see?"

A manicured fingernail is run over the soft dirt. Down further to lighter earth, packed firm, and finally to rock. "It's similar for the Earth. Everything that's left there, or moved by the wind or rain. It all leaves marks." Further down she pauses at a much darker rock near the bottom. "This is granite. Solid, strong. Reliable. Above it is sandstone. Water easily washes it away with time. It can weaken the ground and lead to sink holes. Pits. Caves. And then... Soil. Rich and fertile."

Her head lifts to grin at him. "Genosha benefits because it lets us know what our resources are and where best to build and how. This area over there would be excellent for farming. However if we opt to build there, we would need to dig deep enough to get past the sandstone," she gestures at the softer center area. "So that it will have a solid foundation for years to come. If they move the highway through this area they'll need to anchor it well."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Paris Bennet approaches at the gesture, staring down with mild consternation at the explanation. He thinks he understands, but isn't entirely certain. The earth has age layers like a tree? How odd.

Paris hrms a little as he processes this, trying to fit it in with his own context. He knew castles were generally built on strong earth, it was known even back then not to even try to develop sandy terrain. He files this away for future consideration. Good to know that these hills have future prosperity as yet unlocked, he has to agree.

And he admits,"I do see. How fortunate that our queen has such subtle knowledge at her disposal. In answer to your curiosity, I was dreaming what this would look like with horses roaming rather than smoke belching metal wagons and shopping malls."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane reaches into her pocket to withdraw a phone which she uses to snap a few pictures of the strata she had unveiled. His mention of horses causes her to look up with a slow nod of thought. "We have been building quite a bit of city and housing and business areas. I do want there to be areas for farms and keeping the land natural as well, though. I want Genosha to be more self-sufficient and retain some of it's natural beauty." Rising to her feet she lightly dusts her hands off on her thighs. "This is our land. We shouldn't waste all of it to modern structures." Tipping her head toward him she considers before inquiring, "Were you considering finding a place of your own? There's certainly enough land to go around."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Paris Bennet nods agreeably with her ruminations on the subject, lowering his arms to rest his hands on his hips as he replies,"Yes I was, but I do not wish to be presumptuous. I understand that I am rather...late to this movement. Institution. My parlance fails me in this, forgive me."

Bennet nods at this juncture, brows knitting deeper as if his thoughts were grinding together under some pressure. Is the Brotherhood Genosha? Is it a movement, or a nation, or something else? He isn't sure. In his day, the strata of society were quite differently conceived. There was always certainty about who one was, and what a thing was. Multinationalism and multiculturalism were ideas to be laughed at, unless one was speaking of cults and religions. Anyone else ran suspect of treachery. So his confusion on this matter is one of where he fits into this as much as it is one of definition.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane nods slightly in response. "Yes you are 'new' but that doesn't mean you're any less undeserving of help than anyone else. You're displaced from your time, with so much to learn. If having some solid ground beneath your feet that you can call your own would help then... certainly we can help."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Paris slowly nods at this, his arms refolding as he gazes skyward, and replies,"Your generosity does you credit. You should know that I consider myself endebted your family, and would therefore never cross you or he. Money means little to me, I've found possessions to be of little substance or use. A bit of land to call a retreat would be welcome, however."

He breathes a heavy sigh at that, his gaze lowering back to her at that pronouncement. Curiousity abounds at her response.

Lorna Dane has posed:
"I will see to it then," Lorna assures with a smile. Sometimes it was nice to be able to offer a simple, easy resolution to an issue. Besides that there was already a list she had in mind for those that had inquired about farm land, or something less city-bound. Surely adding him to the list wasn't going to harm anything at all. It's his expression that garners her own curiosity. A single eyebrow raises while her smile deepens. Gesturing faintly at him she inquires, "It seems you've something more on your mind. Feel free to speak, I don't bite." Or cut off heads.

Paris Bennet has posed:
The man squares his jaw at this, feeling an inner compulsion to do a grandiose thing. It's a defining characteristic of his to not let something lie half done. Even anonymity smacks of a certain...undermining self deprication. That's why he can't stand those who claim humility as they go about pursuing accomplishments more quietly.

It's all perspective.

His now compels him to make things known and clear. That sword he carries lifts itself free from its sheathe, drawn by an invisible hand. The sound of metal sliding upon metal is brief before it carries along to rest in mid air between them. The black pearl pommel twinkles in the halflight as he states,"I will not accept a gift of unwarranted charity, forgive me. Therefore, allow me to render payment in assurance of deeds."

Kneeling promptly, the sword hanging there like a Crusader's Cross, he intones,"I do hereby swear allegiance to you, Queen Dane. Your house and line I shall henceforth uphold with life and deed, and I shall brook no trespass against either. My sword and power are yours to command, my lady."

Lorna Dane has posed:
At first Lorna merely stands there not certain how to react. The mood of the situation entices her to stand taller at her full height while he kneels with sword drawn in front of her. Even for a newer Queen like herself she could tell how important this was to the man. And potentially to her future as Queen as well given his powers. Some nagging part of her mind worries at her to be cautious of sworn promises. Still. So far Bennet had proven honorable as far as she knew, if a bit old fashioned due to circumstance. Her mind whirls trying to determine how best to react to this gesture.

Stretching her hand out toward him she offers, "I will strive to be a Queen worth serving, then." The urge to quote Monty Python is pushed aside as she instead intones, "Please rise, Sir Bennet, first knight of my house."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Sir Bennet does rise at that, accepting her hand before plucking the sword from the air to deftly resheathe it. He nods curtly at this, and solemnly replies,"That is all that I ask."

Indeed, it's all that he's entitled to ask.

He regards her there for a few moments, letting the moment subside before looking back out to the stretch of land wistfully. He then says,"We should probably return before we are missed, mademoiselle."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna Dane allows herself a wistful chuckle at the thought of being able to go without being missed. Even if she were somewhere safe, she still had work to do. "Agreed."