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[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

Characters: Gaia and Urania
Date/Time: During Urania's usual office hours on Friday, June 15th.
Location: Urania's office
Rating: PG at worst, probably
Warnings: Language? Maybe?
Summary: A "new colleague" has a question...

Things were never too lively in Laramie, it was true. The campus was even quieter than usual with most of the undergraduate students gone for the summer. But not all of them, of course.

Suddenly, there was a knock at Urania's office and a mousy woman came in. She looked about the right age for an upperclassman or maybe a new graduate student.
"Hi there... Sorry to bother you... You're... Celeste? Right?"

Comments

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

And UWyo's astronomy program did have undergrads visiting for the summer as well, of course. Most of them had settled in by now, but there was always the chance someone was sent to locate something by a professor.

"Right," Celeste said. "How can I help you?"

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"Such a pretty name, Celeste," the young woman mused, "But Urania is prettier, I think. Reminds me of someone. Anyway. I'm supposed to build a team. I understand you can be of help."

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"How..." Celeste paused. Figuring out an astronomy TA who showed up in full Greek garb on a day when the gods walked the Earth mgiht well be the Muse of Astronomy wasn't exactly hard.

"What sort of team? Who are you?"

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"The team will involve people you already know. In some ways, that will make it easier. In others, harder. But you'll have to give up being the reluctant hero, I'm afraid. You can't be isolated from the others anymore. It makes you too vulnerable," she said.

"As for me... I won't insult your intelligence by saying I'm a friend. But I'm someone who knows you--all of you--and has a vested interest in your continued prosperity."

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"Physically or mentally isolate?" Celeste said, looking around her office. Moving would mean putting grad school on hold, possibly for good. Finding a job. All sorts of things.

She liked Laramie. And if she wasn't sure about her place in the world, she didn't want to make a decision in a rush.

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"However you need to do it. That part is entirely up to you. The point is that you need to be involved. They'll need your expertise, your... vision for things. You know your physics. Things are moving, and you by yourself won't be able to generate enough force to stop it or affect it."

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"No kidding," Urania said.

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"So. Reach out. Help form the team. Everyone needs to come together to form a little momentum of your own. If you want to start with your brothers and sisters, I suppose that's simplest, but you must look beyond your family. Others will need your guidance too," the woman said.

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

Urania chucked. "You make it sound like I'm Professor X."

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"Who's to say you aren't?" the woman said, smirking.

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"I don't think the bald look is me."

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"Nor the chair. But that is not what makes him what he is, and you know it. It how he chose to use his abilities."

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"I get the sense that some of the family would rather be Magneto."

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"And that's why you're needed, of course. To balance them out. Make them see reason. Work together instead of as vigilantes. Surely you can do that?"

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"I can try," Urania said. "I still wish I had laser powers or something, though."

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

The woman smiled enigmatically.
"Work together, strike while things are hot, and I'm sure you'll soon find strength you never knew you had."

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"Aphorisms?"

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"And just as true as ever. Do you understand what is required of you?"

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"Right now? Make contacts, especially outside the family, and keep alert for things. And figure out how to use my own powers better."

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"And I'm sure the others can help you with that as well. Assemble your team, Professor," she said with a wink.

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"Can do," Celeste said. "I'm just hoping the fact most of the information-oriented team leaders I can think of are in wheelchairs isn't prophetic."

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"You could always ask your brother. He might be able to tell you," she replied.

[asteroid30.insanejournal.com]

"Then I'd have to deal with him trying to mother-hen me again."

[metemmods.insanejournal.com]

"I believe he is far more concerned with your sisters to do so," she replied with a shrug.