Players:
Summary: Travis discusses wanting to get more involved with recent matters with Rashmi.
Date: February 11, 2011
Log Title: Wanting to do More.
Rating: PG
Barnes Academy - Library
There are only a few thousand volumes on display here, mostly for decorative purposes, though of course they can be checked out. The actual 'Library' is almost entirely electronic, with secure link to the entire contents of the Library of Congress online as well as hook-ups to the best universities and research facilities in the free world. Students can browse the Internet or do work projects from the stations here or download materials to the next generation pad computers/e-readers that are stanadard issue to all students and staff.
Early evening, and Rashmi has been camped out at the Library for several hours now, hovering at one of the terminals almost as soon as her workout ended. There are a few books scattered around her workstation, a cold cup of tea at her elbow, a plate bearing the crumbs of an afternoon snack off to one side, and a growing stack of loose paper, covered in Rashmi's dense, crabbed academic's handwriting. If the redhead wore glasses, this would be about the time she pushes them up to massage the bridge of her nose. As it is, she simply sifts through Web pages, writing down anything relevant.
Travis has his own reasons for being in the library though knowing Rashmi there is a bit of a plus. He walks in with his laptop under one of his arms and goes to sit down next to her. "Hey." He says sounding a bit tired. "Any luck?" Ever since they got back from the police station the other night that's pretty much all that's been on Travis' mind. "Um…I wanna learn a bit more about law and you're the only person I know who really knows about it."
"Hi," Rashmi says, giving the boy a small, weary smile, leaning back in her chair and yawning. "Umn… sorry about that. Luck…?" Setting the pen down, she tilts her head, chewing on her bottom lip. "…Depends what you mean by luck. Do we know more? Yeah. Is it getting worse? *Oh* yeah." Shaking her head, she rakes a hand through her hair. "…Turns out the officers kidnapped Lil…the other lady who works at Nowhere? Tried to force Dingo to attack the Mayor."
Travis nods slowly. "I've only been to Nowhere once so I think I remember who she was?" He says uncertainly. "That's…what the hell is going on?" He mutters. "This is like something out of a movie, kidnap someone to force someone to attack the Mayor, that's…is this what things are regularly like for mutants?" He asks. "I feel like I just haven't been exposed to much until now and am realizing that this shit actually happens. The other night at the police station, I was so pissed off when we left."
"Regularly…? No. Not really. It's…" Tilting her head back, she stares up at the ceiling for a moment. "Remember when we were kids, and there was all those race riots out in California? Crooked cops, tensions running high, people not caring if they were targeting the right people and letting the really bad stuff get through? More like that… But it's a problem, and it needs to stop. Now. Before the shootings from before turn into a *really* bad situation. That's what I'm doing," she says, waving at the papers in front of her. "The Embassy's move was good… I hope. I came up with it. Now I'm researching civil rights groups. The ACLU, the Citizens' Commission, C4C, there's a lot of clout that can be turned on if we do things right. And the Captain screwed up bad. He told me not to say anything… but he didn't make me sign an agreement. And I'm *not* letting this go away."
Travis shakes his head. "Vaguely? I grew up in Denver Colorado, we heard about it in the news but I was so young and I dunno, I didn't really follow the news much as a kid. Actually I was coming in here to read about as much about the laws as possible and see if the police…I mean was it just me or was he short of saying 'I don't give a shit if she was innocent or not'." Travis sighs and then he smiles slightly at her last words. "I really want to help with this Rash. I just, I want to see the right thing be done."
"I'm glad to hear that, Travis," Rashmi says, smiling. "Just, I want you to know that the fight is going to be a lot messier than it was last week. But! You're going to take part in an age-old college tradition, stemming back from the 60s and beyond. Something almost every college kid has at least seen, if not taken part in themselves."
"That's fine by me Rashmi. It's hard to just sit back when you know you can do something." Travis admits. "If someone murdered her, I can't just stand back and go 'oh well the police will handle it', cause they're not. She had a family, she had people who cared for her and as silly as it sounds, it'll help a bit when those responsible are held accountable." Then he gives her a curious look. "So what's this age-old college tradition?"
Rashmi grins widely, thrusting her pen upwards as though it were a knife. "Political Protest!" she cries, and breaks into laughter.
Travis looks at Rashmi before he can't help but give a chuckle himself. "A political protest…that'll definitely get people to listen to our cause and hopefully expose what's going on to the public. Which I think is good."
Rashmi bobs her head. "There's a nonviolent vigil that's going to be held outside the precinct house," she says, eyes glittering. Clearly, the girl has been active over the last day. "Magneto's going to be there for protection, but mostly it's just going to be placards, candles, and not budging an inch. Meanwhile I'm drafting letters to send to all those groups, demanding action, and I plan on letting Ms. Walters' firm know that there could be a dozen or so wrongfully arrested mutants that'll want to sue the police. Better? I have *names,* so when the mess gets into full swing the idiots who kidnapped Lil will be the first ones to get hammered."
"Let me know what you need me to do to help and I'll help." Travis says as he likes the idea. "And you got names, that's great. You don't cease to amaze me Rashmi." He says. "Honestly, after Africa, I have no issues with Magneto. And I think it's great that it's a nonviolent vigil, it lets people know that we're not the ones causing the problems."
Rashmi bobs her head. "I'll be sure to, Travis. But I need to give you a heads-up; Dingo's going to make it look like he got taken out soon. He wants to make the cops think he tried to do what they told him, but a bunch of mutants wouldn't let him. That way, they don't have a good reason to hurt Lil for awhile, and once the political side gets going they *can't.* So if you see that in the news soon… don't panic. It's all part of the plan. As for what you can do now…. Hm. Maybe talk to a couple of the Agents, and see if you can't get someone to dig up where Lil's being held? Or, at least they can put the word out to the Avengers to take care of it?"
Travis nods slowly. "Okay, so, what is it that the police want him to do?" He's curious about that. "And I'll definitely talk to Agent Index. I get along good with him but Agent Drew Daniels, dunno if I'd talk to him. He seemed really quick to try to arrest Dingo a few nights ago in the park so I don't know how much he'd be willing to help out. But Dingo doesn't seem like a horrible guy just bad on impulse control, just like Agent Drew."
Rashmi chuckles, shaking her head. "No, he's not horrible… but he and Magneto think, um… a little too much alike. Which isn't normally a problem, especially not right now… But they're angry people, Travis. And most of the time you can count on angry people letting their property damage do their talking for them." Sighing, she taps her pen on the desk. "If that's how Agent Daniels is, too… then yeah, I think I'm worried about how he'll figure in. Augh, I'm not even old enough to drink and I'm like *right in the middle* of the biggest civil rights crisis since Rodney king!"
Travis puts a hand on Rashmi's shoulder and nods at her. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" He asks. "But I can see how that would be stressful Rashmi. I think it's because you're just so passionate that people can't help but get wrapped up in your ideas. I think that's good though, you are fighting for a great cause and I really believe you can make a difference in this world. And I could tell Dingo was an angry person, it's easy to just give into anger."
Rashmi smiles softly, leaning against Travis' shoulder. "Thanks… it's just… hard to believe, you know? I had it planned out… go to law school, practice for awhile, find some major civil rights case and fight like crazy, become a politician. Now…?" She laughs quietly, shaking her head. "Now I'm taking combat lessons, put law on hold, and *now* the political mess hits. I know it's silly to have your life planned out like that, but… wow. I never expected it to happen like this."
"Well even when you have things planned out they're not going to go like you think, or hope." Travis says. "We're also still young Rashmi so I guess it's okay for things to go a little differently then expected. But I'd like to think this is a good way for it to happen, but not good. I mean, it's for a good cause, not good that it happened."
Rashmi nods. "I'd like to think so too," She murmurs, resting her head on Travis' upper shoulder. "If this goes as badly as it can… I'll be responsible for it. Pretty much everything that's happening right now, is because Magneto called me and asked me what I think they should do. And a detective from the precinct trusted *me* enough to leak the information the other police wouldn't give us…"
"Well you were the one brave enough to head down to the police station and ask questions." Travis says. "And I think it would be flattering that Magneto called you and asked for advice. I mean, it's probably cause you have a very level head. You're not going resort to violent and illegal means, you're going to do it in the most effective, and legal, way possible. Which in a situation like this we need to do everything we can to make people realize we aren't menaces."
Rashmi nods quietly, letting out a quiet breath. "Yeah… I just… d'you ever worry that it's happening too fast? I mean, we like *just got back* from Africa and now… This. I *really* want some peace and quiet for awhile, y'know?"
"It is fast but for me, it's keeping my mind off of Africa. When I start thinking about it I start to get kinda down so I try to keep busy." Travis admits. "But all this is causing me to think of my Dad a lot more, cause I keep thinking if someone didn't go to jail for murdering him, I don't think I'd be happy. And I know I talk about my Dad a lot so sorry. But also I've been so afraid to leave Barnes so I don't think it seems as fast to me as it does to you.
Rashmi shakes her head. "Hey, don't apologize, okay…? I mean, I don't know *what* I'd do if I lost Papi, I think you're doing *amazing.* Don't ever, *ever* be sorry you miss your Dad. Especially not if it helps you think this way." Looking down at her lap for a moment, she turns her eyes up toward the boy. "…Bruce said Carmen had a roommate," she says, "and that he hasn't visited the bar since she got killed… maybe we should pay him a visit, one of these days?"
Travis nods and rests his head on Rashmi's shoulder for a second. "Yeah, he was my hero growing up and still is." He says about his Dad. "I would like that, just let him know that there are people out there who care for Carmen and for his loss. It's really hard to go through it alone. I'm just lucky Mom and I had each other."
Rashmi nods. "I'll ask Bruce if anyone knows where he lives, then… And, Travis? Thanks again. For wanting to help."
Travis smiles at Rashmi and shrugs. "No need to thank me. It's not fair what happened and it's not right. Not doing anything when you know you can, that makes it even worse."
