2013.05.13 - Researching the Old-Fashioned Way

University life. It's a life that has eluded one blue, fuzzy mutant- for the most part, anyway. Not having been formally educated pretty much means that such a life is closed. But, using some of the facilities is not.
Which includes the library.
Final exams are being crammed for, final research papers before the end of the term are coming due, and the library is a happening place. Not a popular place, mind, but a happenin' one all the same.
Now, with some of the finest tomes in the world at his disposal in mutant research back at the Institute, it's not quite that that Kurt is looking for. No.. 
Rather, he's doing some research on a couple different companies- a couple that he knows were front companies that hired researches bent on research for ill.. and to do some proper research requires books. Large corporate books that list companies, all the way down to LLCs and DBAs...
The place is busy enough, and the students are enwrapped in what they're doing enough that they probably don't truly notice that one of the people in the library is blue. And furry. And happens to have a tail, even though Kurt isn't waving it around...
Barbara Gordon finds herself in the library, as well, as she periodically does. In this case, she's researching using old microfiche files that aren't yet available online. (Damnitall!) Like Kurt, she scans through company records, cross-referencing them with industry-specific journals. The industries? A mix: scientific, medical, technology... all sorts of proprietary reports from about 10 years ago or so. Most of what she looks at has to do with Knox Enterprises -- a big biomedical and pharmaceutical outfit with a myriad of subsidiaries in the medical and scientific research and development industries -- and DynamTech, a small, but innovative, high-end communications and electronics developer. So, it's possible her research, particularly into Knox, could intersect with Kurt's. 
She reverses her chair from her microfiche viewer to back up toward a table where one of the bound journal collections sits, wheeling the chair around as she does, trying to avoid knocking anyone accidentally.
And then there is one Mr. Ted Kord. Somehow he got suckered into a doing a recruitment trip the university, he's supposed to have people that do that do things like that for him. But well he recruitment speech stuff was done, and Ted decided to go to the library! Hey he totally admits that he's a geek and stuff, plus other geeks hang out here, he may have people to talk to. He can also try and recruit some of the smarter people who didn't attend his little speech thingy. So he starts to walk around, and just kinda eyeing everyone and what they're looking at. Good way to scout talent, see what they are reading and stuff!
Microfiche. Microfilm. If Kurt had someone with him, there would be all sorts of jokes about Germans and microfilm.. and.. and..
But there isn't.
Opportunity is missed.
As the wheelchair goes by, Kurt swings his tail over so it's not wheeled over, a nod given to the driver as he checks the particular number for Knox Industries. So far, he's specifically looking for the financials.. and the subsidiary listings..
"Hmmm.." comes thoughtfully. "It's not here.." is a little louder before he starts to check all those listings before, and after, just in case it's misfiled.
Solid yellow eyes lift from the drawer, and Kurt looks around, perhaps nosing into private microfiche readers to see if what he wants is there? Or.. it may be a matter of it being absent without leave. Or, just a hole in the collection.
Chances are pretty good Barbara has the file Kurt's looking for in her viewer -- though, in her case, it has more to do with some of the other info that particular file contains. The financials, as well as the patent listings, she can chase down online. 
She automatically offers the blue mutant a smile as he nods to her, only giving him a second look when she realizes his skin is actually blue... and he has a tail. Her expression shifts to one of surprise, at that point, followed by the inevitable wariness Kurt must tire of seeing on the faces of mundanes as she sees his glowing yellow eyes. 
The thing is, though, she was trained by Batman and has faced down some truly weird and surprising-looking villains in her years as the former Batgirl. So, she probably handles the surprise with much greater aplomb than most people -- which is to say she doesn't scream and run away. But, she sure as hell makes note of his appearance and the current time so she can go back through surveillance, later, and find out just who the hell he is. 
Upon hearing his comment, however, she pauses. It's the librarian in her. She can't help it. (Well, that, and when a strange looking person is doing research in a public library, she can't help but be curious enough to want to know what and why.) "What's not here?" she asks him, presently. "Perhaps I can help?" Librarian. She really can't help herself. 
As Ted comes wandering into the area, her glance steals to him for a moment. Recognizing her friend, she gives a smile and raises her hand briefly, most of her attention per force still on the mutant. 
Oh he spots someone that he actually knows, he wasn't expecting this one at the moment. He returns the wave to Babs, and decides to head on over, just cause one can only take talking to the students for so long. Especially during finals time, man they are just so tense during this period. So anyway he heads on over, "Hiya." Is all he says to Babs. He doesn't make any comment or anything about the guy she's talking to. He hasn't noticed the blue or anything yet, or just doesn't care.
Kurt needs more than financials; that's just one of many avenues he's looking for.
Turning about, one could almost swear those blue, furred, pointed ears perk a little (but they don't.. realy..) at the sound of someone talking to him. "Ah.." and there's a moment when his expression could be described as 'momentary lost' in a sea of information. And he wants a drop.
"I am looking for Knox Industries. Ah.." the accent is decidedly German. "Und.. I don't seem to be finding in the microfiche." There, with that accent? Jokes abound. 
Mind, Kurt has noticed the double-take, as it were, and really, the only thing that he does to help mitigate reactions, and sort of push things along to the favourable is to continue on, politely, and smile. Though.. without showing the fangs. "I am usually better at research like this.." the blue elf continues. "It's in the blood. Microfilm. German.." There. Bad joke, but it's there all the same.
Ted's approach gives him a moment when his tail sways slightly, and Kurt takes that half-step back. "If I am interrupting.."
Barbara's head cants as the German... Demon? Meta? Mutant? She's not sure. German, anyway, yes, judging by the accent -- and his bad joke. She actually offers a small, lopsided smile at that. Even a soft, if brief chuckle. Nonetheless, her head cants as he explains what he's seeking. "Knox Enterprises?" she echoes. A brow arches. Curiouser and curiouser. She gestures to the viewer she's been using. "I'm sorry. That's what I'm looking at." A beat. "Is there anything specific you want to know about them? I'm pretty up-to-date, now, on just about everything that's public." Because, no, she's not going to spill the secrets Oracle has discovered. Not to a stranger... a very strange-looking stranger, at that. At the moment, she still considers Christian Knox a victim, so she'll protect him. "I'm almost done with the film, if you don't mind waiting another few minutes. I just wanted to cross-reference something." She gestures to a tome on the table near to hand.
As Ted approaches closer and greets her she smiles at her friend, more familiarly with him that with Kurt, for obvious reasons. "Ted. Nice to see you." She gives Kurt another polite smile. "No. You're not interrupting at all." She wasn't expecting Ted, after all. She'd introduce them, but she doesn't know the fuzzy blue... man-creature well enough to do so, given they've just now met.
"Babs, it's always a pleasure to see you. Didn't know you would be around today or else I would have invited you out to lunch." He notices the other guy, oh he can't make the joke about the Microfiche, he has some standards after all, and that one is just way too easy for him to make. But he extends his hand to the other gentle, will be polite and say hi to him at least. "Hi, I'm Ted Kord." Now he goes back to Babs, eyes linger on Kurt's tail however, "I was sent for a recruitment drive, they figured I could get more people than just HR."
Kurt nods and repeats, "Ja.. Knox Enterprises." He'll blame it on the translation from one language to another. Same word, almost. "I was looking for their subsidiaries, und where they are located.. Financials will come, I suppose, later." After he identifies all these little groups. "Und then, to cross reference their boards with.. other organizations." It's that part that truly has the elf going. What sort of front organizations, and funding.. and..
The first step has to be taken, however.
The microfiche in question, then, is being used, and Kurt nods his head slowly, pupil-less yellow eyes looking towards the reader she's working on. "I see.. I can wait, or come back another day. It's the first time in here, und.." It won't be the last, undoubtedly.
Ted's presence brings Kurt's attention around again, and he inclines his head in something of a European bow. He doesn't extend his hand, however.. not really pushing his luck. "Kurt Wagner. A pleasure, Herr Kord." His head cants a moment, and the lines on the blue, fuzzy brow quirk above those glowing, fully yellow eyes, "Recruitment drive?" Beat. "In the library?"
Barbara considers Kurt's words, his investigation. Her brows rise again. "That's... much of what I'm looking for, too," she admits. She leans back in her chair, setting the heavy tome on her lap. "They're not nearly as big as something like WayneCorp or Stark Industries," she notes, "but they've got at least a dozen subsidiaries, all of them in the biomedical and chemical sciences industries. Medicorps, pharmaceutical development corps, and genetic research, primarily. They heavily fund at least one charitable foundation: the New Life Addictions and Rehabilitation Foundation, which is headquartered across the river in Gotham. In fact," she adds, "most of their companies are centered in the New York/New Jersey area, though there are several satellite offices throughout New England and the Mid-West." She smiles, now, putting on her best helpful librarian expression. "What's the purpose of your research? Maybe I can help." A beat. She adds, "Barbara Gordon. I'm a librarian. I don't work here specifically, I admit, but I still know my way around the stacks better than most."
She smiles to Ted. "We can grab coffee, if you don't mind hanging about while I finish my research. How'd the talent scouting go, then?"
"Well I did the usual recruitment speech thing, and we have people setup taking resumes. But the hard workers, they are usually found in the library. So what better place to do some talent searching than in the library?" Hey it makes sense to Ted, but then again stealing the Martian's Chocos also makes sense to Ted. "Coffee sounds good, and I don't mind hanging around." He goes back to partially eavesdropping on the conversation now.
"A pleasure, Fraulein Gordon.."
And it's back to the business discussion, his thoughts on the matter set, at least in terms of those other powerhouses. "Ja.. but WayneCorp und Stark Industries have dynamic CEOs.." That's one way to put it, perhaps? "Und both are elbow-deep in community services.." And Stark Industries has a tendency to go more.. pro-mutant.. or at least not anti-mutant.
The forthcoming list, however, truly brings the fuzzy blue demon.. creature.. thing around, and his attention is rapt. Kurt catches the words for which he's been searching, and nods his head slowly. "New Life Addictions und Rehab--" He'll remember it, that's for sure. 
Then, of course, comes the question. To that end, Kurt takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "With our official acceptance," our, "there are companies that are doing research in the name of helping us.. as regular courses of medicine may not work." He'll be going to hell for this, or at least be told he'll have to do some sort of penance that includes more than a few Hail Mary's.. "Und I wanted to see how far along some have come. They're hard to find, as they tend not to wish to be. Just in case." Uh huh.
Ted's commentary about recruitment really.. doesn't help much, even though Kurt listens to the man almost as closely as he does the librarian. "Ja.. but recruitment for what?"
'Us'. Barbara decides 'us' likely means metas or mutants. Or both. It's a reasonable assumption. She nods slowly to Herr Wagner's stretched truth. It sounds reasonable enough, as well. "There are quite a few companies researching such things," she says. "If what I've read in the trade journals is any indication." She pats the big book on her lap -- a library-bound compilation of the back issues of several bio-industry journals. She doesn't say it to the mutant, though he probably knows, but not all of that research is benign. And, frankly, she sees the issue from both sides. No doubt the mutants don't appreciate the threat such research proposes. But, then, those without mutant or meta abilities appreciate the idea that there's some way to prevent rogue mutants from doing more harm than good. It's no different, in her mind, than the government's anti-Superman contingency plan. She certainly doesn't advocate mutant segregation or discrimination. Nor does she think they should be rounded up and shot, like some people. But, she does believe in taking precautions. Absolutely. 
She smiles at Ted, as he accepts her invitation. "Ted, here," she tells Wagner, "runs K.O.R.D. Inc. They're always on the look out for talent." She leaves it to her friend to explain just what sort of talent that may be.
"Everything usually. But I do tend to focus on scientists and researchers. We do a lot of non lethal deterents for law enforcement, so always need people with new ideas." Plus he can use a scientist who doesn't spend half his time on get rich quick schemes. "So hey if you know anyone in those fields send them my way. Or anyone that just needs work, can always use assistants and everything as well." He reaches into the suit pocket and offers Kurt his card, "Here is my business card if you know anyone."
"I don't have access to the trade journals," Kurt breathes, "Und, they're a bit.. dry." Okay, the english is a little over his head and Google Translate just doesn't cut it. He's more than aware that most of the research is far from benign, but the last thing he needs is to look like a zealot. It's true he's passionate about the subject...
"One day, when I have more time, I'll need to sit down und discover which.. catch my eye." And the blue elf will know it when he sees it, that's for certain!
Ted's introduction, or rather his CV brings Kurt's attention around, and he lifts his hand slowly to take the card. Three fingers on the hand.. and looking at it, nods slowly. "I.. will consider it. If I know someone who could use the work.." but, can he sound any more dubious, or rather, uncertain?
Probably not.
Looking from the tome in Barbara's lap to the microfiche, a decision is quickly made, which echoes his statement of only seconds before. "Sadly, I don't have the time to properly devote. I know the information is here now, und.. I will be back." He looks to the two now, and with something of a bow, "Fraulein.. mein Herr.. a pleasure to make your acquaintences again."
Barbara files away a little more information on Herr Wagner. She has his name, his description and distinguishing features (which would mean 'all of them'?), not to mention his interest in biomedical research related to the mutant condition. It's not necessarily an unusual topic for one fashioned such as he. But, the elite info broker notes it, anyway.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wagner," she says evenly to him, her expression professional and courteous. "If you want, I'll have these materials set aside at the research desk for you, when I'm done, shall I? Kurt Wagner you said, yes?" She nods to what acknowledgement he may make, and smiles. "Good. Then, have a good day." 
Her glance goes to Ted for bit. "Speaking of which, I just need to get a couple of copies of some of the info, here, then we can hit the coffee shop, if you'd like. Sound good?"
He glances at the hand but doesn't say anyhting to the mutant. Seriously Ted can't pick on anyone he calls himself the Blue Beetle after all, who ever heard of a blue beetle! "It sounds great, Babs. And it's nice meeting you sir. Take care of yourself."
Category:Log