xp_logs | Laurie & Hank: Nano-Lunch (Reply)

Laurie and Hank discuss a possible summer internship and nanites over a delicious lunch.

"Which brings us to the point of our little lunch, I suppose," Hank said with a wry smile. The main course was being cleared away by the attentive wait-staff and their dessert choices would soon arrive on a trolley, whose squeaky wheel had been the only down side to their dining experience. "I know I explained that I'm working on surgical nanotechnology and you said you didn't know much about the topic. So, tell me what you do know about nanites."

"Mostly I got my knowledge from listening to Forge, and reading up on the research going on in Medical journals," Laurie admitted, looking over as the dessert trolley headed their way. She could already tell which dessert she'd choose. "I know they're microscopic robots that can be used to do things much faster then larger machines would be able to."

"Spot on actually, robotic organisms that work on the cellular or micro-cellular level in coordinated swarms in order to accomplish tasks that would otherwise be impossible for human- or mutant- hands to do. For example, the particular swarm protocol that I'm working on could be used to support a compromised immune system by acting as white blood cells. Fascinating, no?" Hank smiled and gave her a small wink.

"Very," Laurie said with a return grin, wondering at the implications of such devices. It might revolutionise medicine, or be horribly misused. "What sort of fail-safes do you have in place?"

"Oh, indeed I have many in place. For example, any batch that is produced is kept in a storage container that they are designed to not be able to break through. If their programming doesn't work there's a button on the container to generate a static pulse that destroys the nanites. Trust me, I'd rather not be the cause of a gray goo armageddon."

"Something for which the world in general is no doubt grateful," Laurie noted with a grin, picking up a plate with a generous slice of chocolate mudcake. "What sort of work would you be having me do? I've been told I'm an excellent note taker, and I have an eye for detail work."

"I'd be teaching you how to run the tests and you'd be running them alternatively to myself. So it's a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, you'd be doing graduate level work and also taking notes when I ask. The one thing you would never be relegated to doing is getting coffee though, so if that's one of your strengths, you may wish to consider other employment." Hank winked at her and took another sip of his drink.

"Oh...wow," Laurie breathed, the idea of doing graduate work, she'd never expected that in a million years. To say that it would look good on her record was an understatement, especially working with one of the pre-eminent doctors in the world. "You'd trust me to do all that?"

"You already assist me with far more important things in the medlab everyday. You help with patients and I most importantly I know I can trust you. There are many people who would like to get their hands on my research and I know you won't sell it to them to make a quick dollar or to pay off a debt." Hank set down his drink and patiently folded his hands on the table. "The choice is entirely yours, Miss Collins, but it would be a pleasure and privillage to work with you."

"I would be an absolute fool to refuse," Laurie said, beaming at him, "And Gail Collins's little girl is no fool. It would be my great honor to work with you, Sir."

"Excellent," he said, taking a dessert off the cart to celebrate after a quick handshake. "Glad to have you aboard, Miss Collins...bon appetite!"