Simon and Tessa | Backdated to 08/18
Aug. 25th, 2017 08:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ax_sage posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ax_mainSimon and Tessa meet to clear the air. The former possibly relaxes his guard a little bit, while the curiosity of the latter only intensifies.
It was early. Too early for most of the students at Xavier's to even be up, let alone strolling quietly along the garden walk. Simon would normally be on the track at this time of day, but meeting Tessa required privacy - as much as either of them could get around the school.
He'd always known it would come to this. He couldn't avoid her forever, and the mere fact that she'd deduced what he was doing meant that the time to meet was long past. He only hoped she had a certain moral compass. From what he'd seen of her, she did, but that was only at a distance, and one could never be certain.
The pre-dawn hours were far from unfamiliar to Tessa; in fact, she enjoyed the stillness and the quiet in a way she supposed many of the other residents of the school could not have entirely appreciated. She had positioned herself near the end of the garden path, as far from the mansion as the quaint walk extended. As usual, she wore mostly black--it was utilitarian color, and it suited her admittedly limited aesthetic sensibilities. One hand was behind her back, and in the other she held her smartphone, studying the most recent feeds of note as she waited.
Simon approached quietly, dressed for the day in dark tailored slacks, a buttoned shirt, and muted waistcoat. Every hair was in place, every wrinkle smoothed. Her posture was odd for a teenager, but he'd noted that Tessa never acted quite like a teenager. In that, they were somewhat alike. "Thank you for meeting me."
"Of course," she replied immediately, the hand holding her phone disappearing behind her back to join the other as she regarded him with an expression that was polite, if acutely curious. "I am enormously gratified that you extended the offer; I have not seen much of you since your arrival at the school, and I suspect much of that has been by design. But I have been very interested in making your acquaintance."
He frowned briefly. "Why is that?"
"Initially, your aversion was itself a source of interest. I am not necessarily embraced by the entire student body without reservation, but none of the others exert themselves to avoid me. You did." She shrugged. "And after researching your background, I found myself impressed by your accomplishments. They are considerably in excess of the usual expectations for our general age group, even by the somewhat unique standards of this particular school."
"Ah, yeah," Simon acknowledged. "Yes, well. I suppose my accomplishments are impressive. Not enough, by any means, but it's understandable that you might be intrigued."
Her look grew puzzled. "By what standard would your achievements not be considered impressive? Particularly given your mind is in no way augmented beyond the normal range of human cognition."
He hesitated. She didn't know. He'd assumed, given her telepathic skill that he would be able to pick up on his true nature, but it seemed that his need to avoid her had been unfounded.
"I apologize for the breach of etiquette, but in the interest of fostering greater amity I think I should inform you that the tenor of your current surface thoughts is highly perplexing. Why would my previous statement cause you relief?"
"It's uh, it's ah, it's just that my parents expect a lot from me. Sometimes I, well, I ah, assume others do as well," Simon lied.
"I see," said Tessa thoughtfully. "You may rest assured that I have no expectations with regard to you, or our relationship." There was something buzzing at the edge of his consciousness that she did her best to ignore; imposing on the private spaces of another, she had learned, was the greatest fear most other students harbored regarding telepaths.
"May I inquire as to how your telepathy works?" Simon asked, relaxing a little more.
"Telepathy is a relatively minor manifestation of my particular gifts," she informed him immediately. "An aspect of my information assimilation and processing abilities. I can detect surface thoughts, in an extremely general way, but I would have to focus greatly to penetrate the consciousness of another without their permission. It is a primary component of my ability to assess genetic potential. I can, however, defend myself from psionic intrusion more readily than most."
"I see," Simon echoed her earlier reply. "I suppose I was uncertain about having my thoughts invaded." Which was utter truth. "I apologize for avoiding you unnecessarily."
"I do not think it was unnecessary," she said. "Indeed, given the limited intelligence at your disposal, it was the prudent decision. I can find nothing to criticize in it. Still, I am pleased to have been afforded this opportunity to clarify the limitations of my abilities, if it means I will no longer be an object of aversion." Tessa's gaze fixed him sharply. "Your primary interest is genetics--specifically, mutant genetics--am I correct?"
"It is now," Simon agreed, pacing toward a row of flowering bushes. Gardenias, if he wasn't mistaken. "I was originally interested in the role genetics played in pharmaceuticals, but Professor Xavier's offer to study with Dr. MacTaggart was something I couldn't pass up."
"Perhaps I can be of some assistance to you," said Tessa, following a few steps behind him. "My specific mutation, as I said, is the assimilation and processing of information. This may be telepathic information, verbal, written. The data communicated through computer code. Or the more fundamental kind transmitted via DNA."
Simon took a step to the side and turned, eyes widening briefly. "You can read DNA?"
"I can," she nodded. "And, perhaps more useful, I can make that data immediately comprehensible via telepathy. I am aware you are not entirely comfortable with the medium, but I think you would find it extremely expedient. In their most elemental form, genes are ... elusive. I could, perhaps, simplify them for you."
She could, he was certain, if he wasn't already capable of the same himself. Simon decided he wasn't entirely off-base by avoiding her. One touch and she would know what he was. "That sounds like something of a shortcut to more reliable methods."
Tessa tilted her head, though she was less combative than curious when she asked, "Upon what basis do you assume my approach is unreliable?"
"For one thing, you can never have someone else check your findings. Your instrumentation is entirely internal," Simon pointed out. The same problem plagued his own thoughts daily. And, even should he admit to her what he could do, allowing them to work together, it was clear that their powers worked differently, even if they came by similar results. They would never be precisely the same.
"Professor Xavier could verify them," she countered. "So could Dr. MacTaggert, once her testing were specifically targeted. I would think yours could, as well." Tessa tilted her head. "Or are you suggesting that I would present false data deliberately, on the basis that my findings are more difficult to substantiate?"
"I don't know you, or your motives..." Simon told her quietly.
"My motive is the advancement of the mutant species," Tessa said. "That will be achieved through greater understanding of the phenomenon, and the specific mechanisms of our individual gifts--the better to incorporate them into larger society. As for knowing me," she shrugged, "that will come with time, and inclination. I would not force my company on anyone."
"The advancement of mutants, although I would not go so far as to call them a species, but a sub-species, is a rather broad concept and could be accomplished in many ways. Some moral. Some...not so much," he pointed out.
Folding her hands, Tessa seated herself on one of the nearby benches. "Then, if you would indulge me, I would be interested in how you would describe the moral advancement of mutants. Whatever their specific classification relative to Homo sapiens might be."
"Philosophy has never been my strong suit," he admitted, keeping his distance. "Though I generally find most people who think they know how to 'advance' a nation, or culture, to be self-serving, egocentric sociopaths."
"Ah," said Tessa, studying Simon closely. "Then if you would explain to me what you would define as an immoral advancement of mutants. I presumed from your earlier statement, that you have some concept of such."
"I have several ideas. Among them, possibly outing mutants in a grand show when some might not be willing to deal with the backlash as of yet," he murmured, pacing the walk in front of her. "Or bypassing societal laws just because they haven't yet caught up to the standards that mutants may one day help set."
"So," she said, "you have more than one specific fear regarding the immoral advancement of the sub-species, but none regarding how we may advance our cause in a moral way. Interesting. Do you think, then, that our only choice is to advance immorally?"
He turned toward her, slightly exasperated. "The only thing I do know is that if we're going to move forward in this world without bloodshed, we need more information. That's why I'm here. That's why I'm studying the gene."
"My apologies; I strive for clarity, which sometimes comes at the expense of social niceties." Tessa stood. "I concur with your assessment, and would be willing to assist you, if you wish. In whatever capacity you designate, given your present skepticism regarding my abilities."
Simon sighed. "The point is moot anyway. Too many of the students here are afraid of the research we're doing."
She considered that, for a moment, then offered, "I could, perhaps, convince a few of them of the importance of it. My influence is not tremendously extensive, as yet, but my opinion might be sufficient to influence some."
"Even if they're being researched by a flatscan?" Simon asked wryly.
"Flatscan," she echoed. "I have encountered the term online, though I have not heard it used often at the school. Certainly not a term I would apply to those with whom I seek to coexist. In any event, your expertise speaks for itself, and I have no reservations supporting it. The work you and Dr. MacTaggert do is of no small importance to us all, and advancing it is in the common interests of both mutants and baseline humans."
"Well, that's a refreshing, and appreciated sentiment," he told her, taking a seat on the bench. "And yes, I wouldn't mind your influence when convincing students here to help with a variety of samples."
Tessa bowed her head in a short nod. "Understood. I will endeavor to persuade those who have evinced a receptiveness to my opinions. Though I must admit, that is a minority of the students currently enrolled."
He smirked a little. "Trust me, I know. They don't want anything to do with me."
"Only because they do not know you," she replied seriously. "But knowing each other is, I think, the purpose of this school. The humans out there, in the general population, fear us because they have only the vaguest understanding of what we can do--the rest is inflated by their own imaginations. The students here understand your research only in the most cursory sense--the rest is magnified by their fears. Give them time. Time, I find, makes the most fearsome phantoms the mind can conjure into familiar, normal, perhaps even congenial things."
He nodded slightly. "Fear is an ever present barrier to knowledge and understanding," he agreed. "I will...try to help them get to know me a bit more."
"That is as much as could be asked of any of us. Whether the attempt succeeds or fails, making it is of first importance. Both outcomes provide useful data, which may be utilized to your advantage in the future."
"Pragmatic," he observed. "And fair advice. Thank you."
She looked decidedly satisfied, at that. "It is my pleasure to be of service. You are welcome."
It was early. Too early for most of the students at Xavier's to even be up, let alone strolling quietly along the garden walk. Simon would normally be on the track at this time of day, but meeting Tessa required privacy - as much as either of them could get around the school.
He'd always known it would come to this. He couldn't avoid her forever, and the mere fact that she'd deduced what he was doing meant that the time to meet was long past. He only hoped she had a certain moral compass. From what he'd seen of her, she did, but that was only at a distance, and one could never be certain.
The pre-dawn hours were far from unfamiliar to Tessa; in fact, she enjoyed the stillness and the quiet in a way she supposed many of the other residents of the school could not have entirely appreciated. She had positioned herself near the end of the garden path, as far from the mansion as the quaint walk extended. As usual, she wore mostly black--it was utilitarian color, and it suited her admittedly limited aesthetic sensibilities. One hand was behind her back, and in the other she held her smartphone, studying the most recent feeds of note as she waited.
Simon approached quietly, dressed for the day in dark tailored slacks, a buttoned shirt, and muted waistcoat. Every hair was in place, every wrinkle smoothed. Her posture was odd for a teenager, but he'd noted that Tessa never acted quite like a teenager. In that, they were somewhat alike. "Thank you for meeting me."
"Of course," she replied immediately, the hand holding her phone disappearing behind her back to join the other as she regarded him with an expression that was polite, if acutely curious. "I am enormously gratified that you extended the offer; I have not seen much of you since your arrival at the school, and I suspect much of that has been by design. But I have been very interested in making your acquaintance."
He frowned briefly. "Why is that?"
"Initially, your aversion was itself a source of interest. I am not necessarily embraced by the entire student body without reservation, but none of the others exert themselves to avoid me. You did." She shrugged. "And after researching your background, I found myself impressed by your accomplishments. They are considerably in excess of the usual expectations for our general age group, even by the somewhat unique standards of this particular school."
"Ah, yeah," Simon acknowledged. "Yes, well. I suppose my accomplishments are impressive. Not enough, by any means, but it's understandable that you might be intrigued."
Her look grew puzzled. "By what standard would your achievements not be considered impressive? Particularly given your mind is in no way augmented beyond the normal range of human cognition."
He hesitated. She didn't know. He'd assumed, given her telepathic skill that he would be able to pick up on his true nature, but it seemed that his need to avoid her had been unfounded.
"I apologize for the breach of etiquette, but in the interest of fostering greater amity I think I should inform you that the tenor of your current surface thoughts is highly perplexing. Why would my previous statement cause you relief?"
"It's uh, it's ah, it's just that my parents expect a lot from me. Sometimes I, well, I ah, assume others do as well," Simon lied.
"I see," said Tessa thoughtfully. "You may rest assured that I have no expectations with regard to you, or our relationship." There was something buzzing at the edge of his consciousness that she did her best to ignore; imposing on the private spaces of another, she had learned, was the greatest fear most other students harbored regarding telepaths.
"May I inquire as to how your telepathy works?" Simon asked, relaxing a little more.
"Telepathy is a relatively minor manifestation of my particular gifts," she informed him immediately. "An aspect of my information assimilation and processing abilities. I can detect surface thoughts, in an extremely general way, but I would have to focus greatly to penetrate the consciousness of another without their permission. It is a primary component of my ability to assess genetic potential. I can, however, defend myself from psionic intrusion more readily than most."
"I see," Simon echoed her earlier reply. "I suppose I was uncertain about having my thoughts invaded." Which was utter truth. "I apologize for avoiding you unnecessarily."
"I do not think it was unnecessary," she said. "Indeed, given the limited intelligence at your disposal, it was the prudent decision. I can find nothing to criticize in it. Still, I am pleased to have been afforded this opportunity to clarify the limitations of my abilities, if it means I will no longer be an object of aversion." Tessa's gaze fixed him sharply. "Your primary interest is genetics--specifically, mutant genetics--am I correct?"
"It is now," Simon agreed, pacing toward a row of flowering bushes. Gardenias, if he wasn't mistaken. "I was originally interested in the role genetics played in pharmaceuticals, but Professor Xavier's offer to study with Dr. MacTaggart was something I couldn't pass up."
"Perhaps I can be of some assistance to you," said Tessa, following a few steps behind him. "My specific mutation, as I said, is the assimilation and processing of information. This may be telepathic information, verbal, written. The data communicated through computer code. Or the more fundamental kind transmitted via DNA."
Simon took a step to the side and turned, eyes widening briefly. "You can read DNA?"
"I can," she nodded. "And, perhaps more useful, I can make that data immediately comprehensible via telepathy. I am aware you are not entirely comfortable with the medium, but I think you would find it extremely expedient. In their most elemental form, genes are ... elusive. I could, perhaps, simplify them for you."
She could, he was certain, if he wasn't already capable of the same himself. Simon decided he wasn't entirely off-base by avoiding her. One touch and she would know what he was. "That sounds like something of a shortcut to more reliable methods."
Tessa tilted her head, though she was less combative than curious when she asked, "Upon what basis do you assume my approach is unreliable?"
"For one thing, you can never have someone else check your findings. Your instrumentation is entirely internal," Simon pointed out. The same problem plagued his own thoughts daily. And, even should he admit to her what he could do, allowing them to work together, it was clear that their powers worked differently, even if they came by similar results. They would never be precisely the same.
"Professor Xavier could verify them," she countered. "So could Dr. MacTaggert, once her testing were specifically targeted. I would think yours could, as well." Tessa tilted her head. "Or are you suggesting that I would present false data deliberately, on the basis that my findings are more difficult to substantiate?"
"I don't know you, or your motives..." Simon told her quietly.
"My motive is the advancement of the mutant species," Tessa said. "That will be achieved through greater understanding of the phenomenon, and the specific mechanisms of our individual gifts--the better to incorporate them into larger society. As for knowing me," she shrugged, "that will come with time, and inclination. I would not force my company on anyone."
"The advancement of mutants, although I would not go so far as to call them a species, but a sub-species, is a rather broad concept and could be accomplished in many ways. Some moral. Some...not so much," he pointed out.
Folding her hands, Tessa seated herself on one of the nearby benches. "Then, if you would indulge me, I would be interested in how you would describe the moral advancement of mutants. Whatever their specific classification relative to Homo sapiens might be."
"Philosophy has never been my strong suit," he admitted, keeping his distance. "Though I generally find most people who think they know how to 'advance' a nation, or culture, to be self-serving, egocentric sociopaths."
"Ah," said Tessa, studying Simon closely. "Then if you would explain to me what you would define as an immoral advancement of mutants. I presumed from your earlier statement, that you have some concept of such."
"I have several ideas. Among them, possibly outing mutants in a grand show when some might not be willing to deal with the backlash as of yet," he murmured, pacing the walk in front of her. "Or bypassing societal laws just because they haven't yet caught up to the standards that mutants may one day help set."
"So," she said, "you have more than one specific fear regarding the immoral advancement of the sub-species, but none regarding how we may advance our cause in a moral way. Interesting. Do you think, then, that our only choice is to advance immorally?"
He turned toward her, slightly exasperated. "The only thing I do know is that if we're going to move forward in this world without bloodshed, we need more information. That's why I'm here. That's why I'm studying the gene."
"My apologies; I strive for clarity, which sometimes comes at the expense of social niceties." Tessa stood. "I concur with your assessment, and would be willing to assist you, if you wish. In whatever capacity you designate, given your present skepticism regarding my abilities."
Simon sighed. "The point is moot anyway. Too many of the students here are afraid of the research we're doing."
She considered that, for a moment, then offered, "I could, perhaps, convince a few of them of the importance of it. My influence is not tremendously extensive, as yet, but my opinion might be sufficient to influence some."
"Even if they're being researched by a flatscan?" Simon asked wryly.
"Flatscan," she echoed. "I have encountered the term online, though I have not heard it used often at the school. Certainly not a term I would apply to those with whom I seek to coexist. In any event, your expertise speaks for itself, and I have no reservations supporting it. The work you and Dr. MacTaggert do is of no small importance to us all, and advancing it is in the common interests of both mutants and baseline humans."
"Well, that's a refreshing, and appreciated sentiment," he told her, taking a seat on the bench. "And yes, I wouldn't mind your influence when convincing students here to help with a variety of samples."
Tessa bowed her head in a short nod. "Understood. I will endeavor to persuade those who have evinced a receptiveness to my opinions. Though I must admit, that is a minority of the students currently enrolled."
He smirked a little. "Trust me, I know. They don't want anything to do with me."
"Only because they do not know you," she replied seriously. "But knowing each other is, I think, the purpose of this school. The humans out there, in the general population, fear us because they have only the vaguest understanding of what we can do--the rest is inflated by their own imaginations. The students here understand your research only in the most cursory sense--the rest is magnified by their fears. Give them time. Time, I find, makes the most fearsome phantoms the mind can conjure into familiar, normal, perhaps even congenial things."
He nodded slightly. "Fear is an ever present barrier to knowledge and understanding," he agreed. "I will...try to help them get to know me a bit more."
"That is as much as could be asked of any of us. Whether the attempt succeeds or fails, making it is of first importance. Both outcomes provide useful data, which may be utilized to your advantage in the future."
"Pragmatic," he observed. "And fair advice. Thank you."
She looked decidedly satisfied, at that. "It is my pleasure to be of service. You are welcome."
