InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I'm not scared."

Darius Alexander Summers (dasummers) wrote in utr_logs,
@ 2009-01-15 15:16:00

Entry tags:

alex rogan, darius summers

Who: Darius Summers and Alex Rogan
What: meeting to discuss a scholarship.
Where: The Companion House's main office
When: Early afternoon
Warnings: doubtful.

Darius had been nervous. This meeting felt wrong, in a way. Being invited to a hotel? In the capitol of Genosha? But this wasn't the Genosha of his home world. He'd spent enough time there to know. And what harm could come of meeting someone in a park about a scholarship? If anything happened, it was almost the perfect for it to happen. With his family so close, it would be hard for anything catastrophic to happen.

He whistled as he walked, texting Scott quickly. At the very least, he'd go hang out with Scott afterward and recap the whole thing over a beer.

He straightened his coat before walking into the reception area, smiling politely at the secretary, and asking about his appointment.

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laststarfighter
2009-01-15 05:30 pm UTC (link)

The secretary spoke on the phone for a moment, then rose and opened the door, letting him into the office. Alex was just rising from his chair and coming around from behind the desk, hand extended. After they shook hands, he spoke. His eyes were warm and he was bouncy. He hoped this program would work!~

"Hello, Mister Summers. It is a pleasure to meet you. Most of the people we have been selecting as part of this scholarship program prefer to just go to college, instead of actually meeting with me. Please, sit."

He gestured to a seat in front of the desk.

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dasummers
2009-01-15 05:40 pm UTC (link)

Darius shook Alex's hand, smiling back. He seemed like a nice enough man. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Rogan. Thank you for seeing me." He settled into the chair, back straight, his eyes trained on Alex's. Sometimes the most important information was in the face and not the words of the person you needed to get it from.

"I honestly wasn't expecting to be able to get a meeting with you. I only called to find out more about the scholarship."

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laststarfighter
2009-01-15 05:46 pm UTC (link)

Alex settled back in his chair, grinning. A nice young man.

"Please, call me Alex. I will never get used to being called Alex Rogan. And I am glad you are here. Any scholarship grantee will always be given whatever assistance the Foundation can give."

He smiled again. The Foundation Underwriting College Careers was his baby, and a way to fund the scholarships easily.

"I will answer any questions you have. I hope to ensure your acceptance of the scholarship and all we can offer here."

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	dasummers 2009-01-15 05:51 pm UTC (link)
	"Then you should probably call me Darius." It was kind of funny being called Mr. Summers, anyway. "I was wondering what the terms were, honestly. You're offering a me a full ride to go to the University of Hammer Bay, but that's about the extent of my knowledge." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

laststarfighter
2009-01-15 06:03 pm UTC (link)

"Very well, Darius."

He listened and raised his eyebrow.

"I had thought the terms were clear in the documentation, but... we essentially would like to establish Genosha as having the best of everything. From music, to sports to industry. We want to bring in good minds and get them to stay here. So, we are willing to go an extra length to see to it. We will pay your way through college, all the way to PhD level, if that is what you want, and we will pay for the establishment and opening of whatever sort of business you are studying to be in, and in return, you stay in Genosha, provided the economics are not dire, for at least ten years, providing that service or product at a medium profit, and living here as well."

He sat back.

"We want to bring in people who will look around and find the good here, and help it grow. Doctors, writers, mechanics, artists, teachers, scientists... all of it. Genosha has a tech base and a leadership dedicated to freedom, and to a bright future."

And he grinned at Darius.

"And we'd like you to be a part of it."

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dasummers
2009-01-15 06:06 pm UTC (link)

Darius listened carefully, and watched Alex as he spoke. He'd been trained, and not only trained but brought up, to understand that sometimes bad ideas can be pitched very well. He'd seen people he loved fall for some really stupid tricks, and been on the losing side of a few himself.

But he got the feeling that what Alex really cared about was the future of his country. And Darius could respect that.

"If I decide that I don't want to go to school here after a while, or back out of the contract I'll no doubt be presented with, what are the consequences?"

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laststarfighter
2009-01-15 06:19 pm UTC (link)

Alex spoke immediately.

"First, you will have the first six months to decide if you want to sign. We will support you for that time, gratis. If we find out you are abusing the privelages and situation we put you in, you would be exported and blacklisted."

He nodded and smiled.

"Now, if you finish school here, then back out? You will be defaulting the full price of school, and such will follow your credit for the rest of your life. And we would also blacklist you in your chosen field. However, should you back out halfway or less through the college time, we would release you fully from your contract. Additionally, should a truly dire situation in your origin home come up, allowances will be made."

He nodded.

"You are an adult, and you will have more than enough chance to tour the campus and the countryside in those six months, and to make an adult decision. After that, should you default, knowing that you knew better from the start, you deserve the consequences of your actions."

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dasummers
2009-01-16 12:54 am UTC (link)

Darius nodded. "The six months begin with the first quarter, or the signing of the contract? I don't mean to belabor the point, but I'd like to be certain about what I'm taking on."

It didn't seem like a bad deal. He would do some research into Genosha, probably ask Cable and Domino separately what they thought about it, and see is Emma had an opinion other than a knee-jerk 'it's Genosha do I need to tell you about how everybody died there?'.

It would be convenient in a way, but bothersome in others. He had been looking forward to being away from all of his family. Living on his own.

"Would my staying in Genosha be mandatory? Or would I be allowed to portkey in from another location?"

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laststarfighter
2009-01-16 01:03 am UTC (link)

"The quarter. You are expected to use the travel service to learn about Genosha, and decide, within that time, if you wish to continue."

He smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"Your primary residence would be required to be here. If you wished to have another home elsewhere, as well, that is fine. Part of this program is to bring minds and bodies here, and you would not be here, truly, if you just portkeyed in."

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	dasummers 2009-01-16 01:06 am UTC (link)
	Well, that made sense. He nodded, and thought for a minute. "There are no restrictions on what I can and cannot choose to do? Penalties for failing out?" Maybe if he was in a dorm, it wouldn't be so bad. It wasn't like Nathan would expect him over for dinner every night or anything. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

laststarfighter
2009-01-16 01:23 am UTC (link)

"You may choose any major, as long as you practice it here. And if you are honestly trying, and yes, we have people who can tell, we will not only help you find a better way to learn, we will use the experience to try to make a better school experience for those who come after you."

Then he leaned forward.

"If you deliberately fail out, it will be seen as if you are shorting on your contract, and again, you will be deported, blackballed, and blackmarked."

He shook his head.

"But from every report I have seen on you, that is not a worry. You work hard, you follow what you believe to be right, and you are very resourceful. I honestly believe you can be happy here."

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	dasummers 2009-01-16 01:29 am UTC (link)
	"I doubt you'd have offered me this chance if I were any other way." Not to be smug, or arrogant. "This has nothing to do with my being a replacee, right? Natural born residents of this world are getting the same shot?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	laststarfighter 2009-01-16 01:37 am UTC (link)
	"No, I would not have. I researched every candidate. I chose them. You would not be here if I thought you would throw it away." Alex shook his head. "Nope. Only thing that made any difference was you came to my attention via your friendship with a Genoshan native. And you inspired the project." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dasummers 2009-01-16 01:44 am UTC (link)
	Well, that was a new concept. "Huh?" When eloquence fails, brevity is a good fall back position. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	laststarfighter 2009-01-16 01:45 am UTC (link)
	"Which part?" Alex was... amused. "Would you like something to drink?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dasummers 2009-01-16 02:02 am UTC (link)
	"The part where I inspired this project, and water, please." He was curious, but now just a little more cautious. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

laststarfighter
2009-01-16 02:15 am UTC (link)

Alex fished in a desk side fridge for two waters, passed one over to Darius and nodded.

"Scott Summers is a replacee who is a Genosha resident, and a hopeful for a spot int eh Genosha Olympic team, as you know. After you two met, Scott, who happens to be a friend of my wife, mentioned, in a completely casual conversation, that he wished he knew how to help people like his friend, Darius, ho was smart and deserved a good college, and wasn't sure where to go or how to get there."

He waved his hand.

"Well, he said something like that, anyway, and my wife, told me, when I was looking for a project, that I ought to help the kids like you, and, well, lightning struck. I started researching, and you, and a lot of others just like you, both replacees and not, need that kind of help, and could be that kind of citizen that we are looking for."

He grinned and sipped his water.

"So, yes, you inspired the project. Thank you."

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dasummers
2009-01-16 02:18 am UTC (link)

Darius blinked. "Even in another universe he's acting like my dad." He didn't know whether that was hilarious, or gave him a migraine.

"Okay. So, I get money, which I don't actually need, honestly. and in return Genosha gets whatever I contribute to it. Seems like an okay deal. If I back out, does someone else take my place?"

If there were others that needed help, he wasn't going to take this chance away just so he could get out of owing Emma money.

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laststarfighter
2009-01-16 02:21 am UTC (link)

"Yes. As slots come open, more candidates get slotted in, but understand, you wee chosen for this because you are actually one of the best we want to recruit. We did not pick you just because someone else brought you to our attention. We chose you because you are someone we want in this program."

Alex sat back.

"You back out and we will help someone else, yes, but we and you will both be the poorer for it."

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	dasummers 2009-01-16 02:25 am UTC (link)
	He thought for a moment. What the man was saying made sense. But he still didn't see why, other than being associated with Scott, he'd be picked over any of the others. "I would like some time to think about it. It sounds like an amazing opportunity. Thank you for the offer. But I don't want to make this decision hastily. When will you need an answer by?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	laststarfighter 2009-01-16 02:28 am UTC (link)
	"By no later than March 1st, if you can. That way, if you accept, you can begin classes in the Summer, or in the Fall." Alex nodded. "I hope you choose to come here, but if not, I hope you find what you are looking for." He rose and extended a hand. "Thank you for coming, Darius." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dasummers 2009-01-16 02:34 am UTC (link)
	Darius nodded and rose as well, shaking Alex's hand firmly. "Thank you again for seeing me, Alex. I'll have my answer in well before that, no doubt." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	laststarfighter 2009-01-16 02:37 am UTC (link)
	"Any time. Have a good day." Alex watched him go, and smiled. He'd be back. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dasummers
2009-01-16 02:39 am UTC (link)

Darius left, making lists already in his head.

First he would see Nathan, get an excuse to get him alone. Then he'd talk to Domino, before they had a chance to talk to each other, and then Alex.

Scott he would save for last, because he wanted to have all information available at his disposal when he talked this over with the other man, and that would be when he'd want a beer the most.

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