2023.05.23:How About We Cure Cancer?

How About We Cure Cancer?
Viktor and Mary meet in a cafe and talk about goals.
IC Date	May 23, 2023
IC Time	Mid day.
Players	Viktor, Aleysa
Location	Wyldman Library Cafe
Spheres	Mage

5/23/2023 18:58:05 Viktor sits at the table marked by the symbol of the Rook, a big cup filled with some sort of red fruit smoothie in front of him next to a stack of oversized cookies. His left hand holds his phone as his thumb zips around its screen while his right is absently delivering broken off chunks of cookie to his face.

5/23/2023 19:02:41 It's half and half chance of who comes into the university cafe with their own food. Aleysa just so happens to be one of the sort that brought her own lunchbox to go with a few books picked up from the stacks. A slightly familiar face spotted and so it's Viktor's table that she walks over to. "Mind if I join you? I promise I don't eat with my mouth open. I'm not a monster."

5/23/2023 19:09:16 Viktor glances up in surprise, caught off guard for a moment with his mouth full of cookie. He almost makes the mistake himself of talking with his mouth full, and pauses to swallow while lowering his phone. "Oh, no, go ahead! And no, no monsters here, for sure. It's Aleysa, right? Are you a student here?"

5/23/2023 19:14:49 "I signed up to 'audit' a class," Aleysa admits as she slides into the seat, smiling brightly even at the cookie crumbs. "More for the library access than the class itself. Are you... post-graduate researcher? Or perhaps a professor?"

5/23/2023 19:17:43 Viktor shakes his head, glancing around and keeping his voice low. "No, I'm just... Well, let's just say that they only check IDs if I want to leave with a book. I can usually sneak in and scan things if they don't already have a digital copy somewhere."

5/23/2023 19:20:20 Aleysa's eyes widen a bit even as she starts unpacking her lunchbox which... is mostly a salad that seems wrong to call a salad packed full of colorful veggies as it is that puts the cafe's own little offerings to shame. "If they asked me," she whispers back, "I could probably give more details on the Golden Age of Piracy than the digital sort."

5/23/2023 19:27:03 Viktor grins, tucking his phone away into a pocket for now. He looks down as she unpacks, getting conscious of how much healthier her meal was than the terrible one was having. He looks back up, making a mental note to have something green later. "More into history than computer science then? What are you auditing?"

5/23/2023 19:32:30 "Ecological Communities of Prospect County," Aleysa responds quickly back at normal speaking volume. And while the main course of her meal is pretty dang healthy, there is still a carefully wrapped up slice of some sort of baked good waiting all alone in the box for desert. "There's even an overnight expedition to the desert. But yes, I think I'm into much more of everything than computer science."

5/23/2023 19:38:23 Viktor smiles as puts another dent into his 'meal' and drink. "That does sound pretty neat though. A field trip and everything. And you're not alone there, it seems. There were not many other geeks in the book club meeting. Not like me, anyway."

5/23/2023 19:40:53 "That's sort of how it goes though, isn't it?" Aleysa asks in between careful bites of her salad. "My folks, they tend to value the flesh and blood. In person meetings. But for you computery people... do you even really need an in person meeting? Aren't there like... forums or something?"

5/23/2023 19:47:33 Viktor nods, resisting the urge to check his phone at the reminder of it. "Yes, something like that. But it's harder to meet local people that way. Since I'm new in town, I figure making some meetings would be a good idea. And it seems like I was right, I think it did work out well. Is that how they usually go?"

5/23/2023 19:49:23 "I... wouldn't know," Aleysa blushes a little at that. "I'm also pretty new in town. That was the most other faces I've seen in... years, really. Did most my studying reeeeeeemote-remote. Like more squirrels and bobcats around than people."

5/23/2023 19:57:29 Viktor looks down to his food for a moment, giving her a chance to recover. "Ah, ok, I didn't realize who else was also a newbie. Remote remote, huh? Are we talking like northern Canada kind of wilderness then?"

5/23/2023 19:59:41 "No, but it felt like it sometimes," Aleysa laughs lightly. "Still Southern California. Just a county over. But... even being just a couple hours drive away, felt like another world. No internet. Hell, no power even. Water was all from the cistern and well..."

5/23/2023 20:09:04 Viktor blinks at the mention of no internet, a cold shiver running down his spine. "Uh, wow, that sounds... I'm sure it was nice in it's own way though. What were you studying way out there? Or is that a topic for another time?"

5/23/2023 20:13:32 "I was... with my grandmother. She's a fan of keeping things old school," Aleysa says carefully, a weight in the words adding meaning that wasn't said. Mentorship and witchcraft mostly.

5/23/2023 20:18:32 Viktor looks back up, cracking a smile. "Well better you than me... I mean, to each their own, right? Personally, I try to avoid anyplace without high speed internet and wireless service. But anyway, you're here now, so something must have brought you here? More schooling?"

5/23/2023 20:20:46 Aleysa simply shrugs. "At the time, it was what I needed. Some peace and quiet and the woods. But comes a time for every bird to leave the nest and stretch their wings." And she gives a little flutter of her hands."

5/23/2023 20:29:21 Viktor gives a small chuckle at the gesture. "Very true. And everyone needs some peace and quiet sometimes. And now you've landed in Prospect, where it'll be a little harder to find, but not impossible. Are you settling in ok? Do you need your internet hooked up or anything? As I understand it, some people in the club have had trouble with that."

5/23/2023 20:35:18 Aleysa gives another bashful smile at that. "Might be more than just the club that'd cause problems for my connection. I live in a van, but it's a nice one. Shower and kitchen and everything in it. But kind of hard to get internet to it. I have my phone, if I'm staying somewhere with wi-fi or cell service. And if not..." she gives a shrug. "Sometimes it's good to be alone with one's thoughts. Unplug and get grounded. though I guess that idea must sound like torture to you?"

5/23/2023 20:43:04 Viktor grins a bit sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry. But I get that not everyone shares my priorities. Or requirements, really. But living mobile, huh? I guess that can have it's upsides, right? I suppose you get out to a lot of ecological sites, for your class?"

5/23/2023 20:49:44 "For class and recreation. And I guess my 'job' though that's more of the same and pretty part time too," Aleysa gives a shrug. "Bring in some rare specimens from time to time to a local greenhouse and help make sure they propagate. It's not a lot, but I don't need much. What are your priorities? Aside from High Speed internet?"

5/23/2023 20:56:58 Viktor blinks as that question makes him shift mental gears rapidly into a more serious place. "Less of the how, and more of the what and why then? Well, how about starting with curing cancer." His face settles into a dead serious expression, clearly not joking about that.

5/23/2023 21:00:54 "Cancer is certainly a complexity," Aleysa nods, equally serious. Her salad is momentarily forgotten. "More so because it's not just one thing. Not a foreign invader like most things the body has gotten pretty good about fighting out. It's life itself running wild, unrestrained."

5/23/2023 21:08:33 Viktor slides his drink cup to the side and out of the way, his hands animating more than normal as he response. "Kind of, yeah. But it's running wild because the programming in the cells is corrupted. DNA, Mitochondria, all of that, not working the way it's supposed to. So, uh, insert the metaphor of your choice here, but that's what I want to do. Find a way to fix that programming at the source and put things back to growing and working like they're meant to. Kind of a long term goal, sure, but that's where I want to get to."

5/23/2023 21:13:45 Aleysa nods along, following mostly the concept even if there is some computer-y comparisons. "Right the balance. The way nature is supposed to be. Or could be."

5/23/2023 21:20:31 Viktor nods at her flowery prose version, still pretty sure they're close to being on the same page. "Basically, yes. That's the goal, anyway. Or at least, one goal. No reason to stop there if that works, right? In the meantime though, I'm starting a bit smaller. Help people where I can, figure out a way to fund the research for the bigger stuff, things like that."

5/23/2023 21:26:58 "That makes sense, and it is a noble, if lofty goal," Aleysa agrees. "Trying to find a way to replicate it at scale..." A shudder at the thought. "One person, one illness, one... us." A glance about, even if she doesn't say the word mage. "That's something I know can be done. Even if I don't have the skill to do that much myself yet. But, for most illnesses can at least help. Give the body a fighting chance to repair itself."

5/23/2023 21:32:54 Viktor leans back, getting more subdued. "That's going to be a problem. But diseases have been wiped out on large scales before, like Polio and Smallpox. Maybe even Measles and Mumps if everyone would actually take the vaccine... Anyway I'm hoping something like that will be possible again. No reason to give up early because it looks hard, certainly."

5/23/2023 21:35:19 "A small difference," Aleysa holds out one finger. "Polio and Smallpox are both one disease. Or strains of one. Cancer meanwhile... is a whole plethora of different abnormal cell growths, each one with their own peculiarities. Some more dangerous than others. Some spread quicker. Curing Cancer is like a chef saying their favorite cuisine to cook is Food almost. It covers... so much."

5/23/2023 21:38:43 Viktor smiles and shrugs. "Well then, I guess I'm just going to have to git gud and work hard. Even if I only manage a partial success, that'll still be something. And it's not like cancer is the only thing that needs new treatments."

5/23/2023 21:51:11 Aleysa smiles brightly as well, genuinely encouraging. "Knock them out one at a time, until there's nothing less. And if you can even only cure those you can physically see... it's still another life. And every good deed brings back three."

5/23/2023 21:56:35 Viktor nods at that, but tilts his head a little at the wording. "Is that an alternate version of the golden rule? Or paying things forward, or something?"

5/23/2023 22:01:28 "Something like," Aleysa's eyes twinkle a little. "Or perhaps some wishful thinking. But if so, it does no harm. And many cultures have believes in something like karma. Or Good deeds. But just try to make the world a little better and usually you'll find something worth your efforts in the process."

5/23/2023 22:06:28 Viktor remembers his drink, now more juice than slush and takes a sip. His eyes remain bright as the topic shifts back to being a little bit lighter fare. "Alright, nothing wrong with a little wishful thinking. It's a good sentiment, at the very least."

5/23/2023 22:11:32 Aleysa nods as well. "And more importantly, to remember that if you wrong someone, karma will undoubtedly bite you in the ass. Bigger and badder. So try to do more good than bad. It's a good way to live."

5/23/2023 22:17:06 Viktor's mood dampens a bit at that, a dark flicker flashing across his eyes as unpleasant memories shift behind them. "Yes, that is the important part. And it's what I try to do. If only more people felt like we do, huh? Wouldn't that be a nicer world? Kinder at least, for sure."

5/23/2023 22:23:47 "We'll be the light we wish others could see," Aleysa smiles brightly, a hand reaching out to touch his if he allows. "The world will never be kind, not always. Nature itself isn't kind. But we can choose to be nicer and make it a little bit so."

5/23/2023 22:34:41 Viktor doesn't look like he expected the gesture, but he allows it without pulling back. He smiles at her, keeping his own hand still with the palm down on the table top. "You'll get no argument from me on that. And here I thought it might be difficult to avoid disagreeing with other book club members. The whole everyone looks at the book a different way thing. But it's been going swimmingly so far."

5/23/2023 22:40:05 It's not only Aleysa's smile that is sunshine bright. Even that little touch leaves a sense of summer warmth behind. "Just because we disagree doesn't mean we need to argue. We can all work in different ways. Different little ecosystems, different niches."

5/23/2023 22:52:25 Viktor looks down at his hand almost like he expect it to be glowing or something, then his other hand curls around it as if he was holding onto the warmth. His eyes go back to hers with a smile, definitely having lost his shadowy thoughts by this point. "Yeah, right! As long as we're all working towards good goals. Speaking of which, you're going to that thing on Friday, right? Do you want to exchange numbers, in case we need to get in touch?"

5/23/2023 22:55:38 Aleysa winks as she notices his reaction to the touch and holds up her hands with a wiggle. "It wasn't nothing more than just how I always am. Life is funny like that, right?" And as for the Friday thing, she nods. "I'll be helping as much as I'm able to. and sure, we can exchange numbers." And other such pleasantries until a salad is consumed and she pleads having to return to her books.

5/23/2023 22:59:24 Viktor finally checks his watch again and hurriedly grabs up what's left of his cookies, then thinks twice and puts one back down. "I'm gonna be late myself, catch you next time!"